X 


BATTLES  OF  €UBA! 


CONTAINING    AN    AUTHE 


UNT    OF    THE 


BATTLES 

FOUGHT    ON    THAT    ISLAND    IN/  HER    LATE    STRUGGLE    FOR 

INDEPENDENCE: 

INCLUDING    A    DESCRIPTION    OF    THE 

DREADFUL  MASSACRE  OF 

Fifty-Two 

AMERICAN  CITIZENS, 

WITH   A  LIST   OF   THEIR  NAMES. 

ALSO,    THE    CAPTURE    AND 

OF  GEN.  LOPEZ!!! 


TO    WHICH    IS    ADDED    A    GRAPHIC 

HISTORY  OF  IMMEKIC&N  WAR! 

HIGHLY   ILLUSTRATED. 


NEW   YORK: 
PUBLISHED  AT  128  NASSAU  STREET. 


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BATTLES  OF  ! 

'  CONTAINING    AN    AUTHENTIC    ACCOUNT    OF    THE 

BATTLES 

FOUGHT    ON    THAT    ISLAND    IN    HER    LATE    STRUGGLE    FOR 

INDEPENDENCE: 

INCLUDING    A    DESCRIPTION    OF  -THE 

DREADFUL  MASSACRE  OF 

Fifty -Two     |f|* 
AMERICAN  CITIZENS, 

WITH  A  LIST   OF   THEIR  NAMES. 

ALSO,    THE    CAPTURE    AND 

DEATH  OF  GEN.  LOPEZ ! ! ! 

TO    WHICH    IS    ADDED    A    GRAPHIC 

HISTORY  OF  THE  MEXICAN  WAR! 

HIGHLY   ILLUSTRATED. 


NEW   YORK: 

PUBLISHED  AT  128  NASSAU  STREET. 
1852. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1851, 

BY   E.    HUTCHINSON, 
in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Southern  District 

of  New- York. 


GENERAL  LOPEZ. 


Rftff  6ROFT 


-a  6 

OFT  LTBI 

BATTLES  OF  CUBA. 


LIBRARY 


INTRODUCTORY  REMARKS. 

THIS  book  is  not  issued  for  the  purpose  of  producing 
excitement  in  respect  to  a  subject  on  which  there  is  al 
ready  too  much.  But  the  object  of  the  author  is  to  pre 
sent  the  facts  in  the  case  as  far  as  they  are  known.  There 
are  many  in  these  States  who  have  had  friends  engaged  in 
the  struggle,  and  feel  an  intense  anxiety  to  learn  as  much  as 
possible  in  respect  to  their  fate,  especially  since  the  barba 
rous  slaughter  of  our  fellow-citizens  at  Havana,  in  cold 
blood. 

We  deprecate  war  in  every  form  and  on  all  occasions, 
when  it  can  possibly  be  avoided.  It  is  not  for  us  to  say 
whether  the  rising  of  the  Cubans  in  different  parts  of  the 
island  was  justifiable.  They  think  it  was,  or  they  would  not 
have  risen ;  they,  like  our  ancestors  of  the  Revolutionary 
times,  feel  that  they  have  long  enough  submitted  to  the 
iron  rule  of  their  oppressors.  When  the  people  of  any 
country  commence  a  revolution,  and  have  good  reasons  for 
it,  we  leave  it  for  our  readers  to  decide  whether  it  is  right 
for  foreign  freemen  to  thus  aid  the  cause  of  independence. 
Still,  for  ourselves,  we  believe  that  our  countrymen  had 
better  stay  at  home  than  to  engage  in  any  wars,  especially 
those  on  foreign  shores.  But  as  people  will  fight  and  ex 
cite  revolutions,  and  have  done  it  in  all  ages  of  the  world, 
the  results  of  such  ebullitions  of  the  people  constitute  mat 
ter  for  history. 

The  Cuban  struggle,  whether  right  or  wrong,  must  be 
placed  upon  the  annals  of  history.  We  must  say  that,  in 
our  opinion,  a  thirst  for  freedom  exists  among  the  inhabi 
tants  of  that  beautiful  island,  which  will  ere  long  burst  the 
bands  of  despotism  that  bind  them  to  the  dust,  and  show 
their  oppressors  that  the  people  must  rule. 


BATTLE  OP  PUERTO  PRINCIPE. 

FOR  years  there  has  been  increasing  dissatisfaction 
among  the  Cubans,  with  the  oppressive  exactions  and  tyr 
anny  of  the  Spanish  government.  Within  a  year  past 
secret  arrangements  have  been  made  for  concerted  action 
in  various  parts  of  the  island.  Cubans  residing  in  this 
country  have  also  acted  in  concert,  raised  funds,  and  in 
duced  adventurers  to  go  from  these  shores  and  fight  the 
battles  of  freedom.  Puerto  Principe,  capital  of  the  Cen 
tral  Department  of  Cuba,  was  wisely  chosen  as  the  place 
where  the  flag  of  liberty  should  first  be  unfurled. 

This  town  is  situated  in  the  interior,  a  little  to  the  east 
of  the  center  of  the  island,  and  450  miles  from  Havana. 
It  is  thirty-six  miles  from  Neuvitas,  which  is  its  seaport, 
and  through  which  all  its  foreign  trade  passes.  The  town 
is  situated  between  two  rivulets,  which  unite  and  form  the 
San  Pedro  River.  The  country  in  the  neighborhood 
formerly  produced  immense  quantities  of  cattle,  and  sup 
plied  the  markets  of  Havana.  The  soil  is  exceedingly  rich 
and  productive,  but  much  of  it  lies  waste  and  uncultivated. 
The  mountain  range  of  Cuba  flanks  the  city  on  either  hand. 
The  eastern  chain,  running  to  the  point  of  the  island  at 
Cape  Maysi,  is  savage  and  broken,  some  of  the  peaks 
rising  to  the  hight  of  8,000  feet.  These  mountain  valleys 
and  defiles  afforded  ample  shelter  to  the  revolutionists,  who 
could  also  draw  their  supplies  from  the  rich  agricultural 
region  adjoining. 

In  addition  to  this  advantage  the  distance  from  the  seat 
of  Government  was  also  in  their  favor. 

The  city  of  Puerto  Principe  contains  within  its  juris 
diction  a  population  of  one  hundred  thousand  souls,  mostly 
whites.  An  inland  city,  remote  from  all  the  blandish 
ments,  frivolities  and  foreign  influences  which  operate  upon 
and  change  the  native  disposition  of  the  inhabitants  of  sea 
port  towns,  the  Principanos  are  noted  for  their  strength  of 
character,  inflexible  uprightness,  sturdy  honesty,  and  con 
scientious  adherence  to  right  principles  and  abhorrence  of 
wrong,  in  spite  of  persecution  or  opposition,  no  matter 


4  BATTLES    OF    CUBA. 

under  what  circumstances.  The  Principanos  ma V,  in  fact, 
be  considered  types  of  real  Cuban  character,  and  it  is  not 
too  much  to  say  that  in  many  of  their  prominent  charac 
teristics  they  resemble  the  old  Puritans  of  New  England. 
It  would  naturally  be  expected  that  such  a  place  would  be 
the  hot-bed  and  nursery  for  Liberty  and  Democracy ;  and 
such  is  the  fact. 

For  years  the  desire  of  release  from  the  terrible  thral 
dom  of  Despotism,  which  has  so  long  manacled  Cuba  and 
the  Cubans,  has  burned  in  the  hearts  of  the  Principanos. 
Each  year  has  the  fire  grown  stronger  and  greater,  and 
many  times  has  the  smothered  volcano  of  popular  feeling 
all  but  bust  forth.  But  till  now,  by  the  ceaseless  watch 
ing  and  manoeuvres  of  Spanish  despots,  the  application  of 
their  tortures,  the  use  of  the  garrote,  the  sword,  the  dun 
geon,  and  expatriation,  they  have  managed  to  prevent,  up 
to  this  time,  a  general  rising  among  the  people,  though 
every  act  of  cruelty  has  but  made  the  day  of  vengeance 
more  certain  .to  approach,  and  the  revenge,  when  it  does 
come,  more  terrible. 

The  late  sudden  arrest,  confinement,  and  quick  banish 
ment  of  ten  of  the  first  and  most  distinguished  men  of 
Principe,  for  the  crime  of  being  concerned  in  the  revolu 
tionary  movement  for  Liberty,  created  the  utmost  conster 
nation  among  the  people.  The  action  of  the  government 
in  the  execution  of  such  a  high-handed  act,  only  seemed  to 
bring  on  the  crisis  and  the  open  outbreak. 

The  Spanish  garrison  at  Principe  consisted  of  2400  men, 
under  command  of  Gen.  Lemery.  The  troops  were  quar 
tered  in  the  convents  of  the  friars,  there  being  no  fortress 
there,  and  the  city  being  without  walls.  The  fourth  of 
July,  the  day  of  our  national  independence,  it  seems,  was 
fixed  upon  as  the  time  for  a  general  rising  and  the  issuing 
of  a  Pronunciamento  by  the  Principanos.  Accordingly, 
on  that  day  a  crowd  assembled  in  the  adjacent  groves, 
under  Don  Joaquin  Aguero  y  Aguero,  as  their  leader,  and 
raised  the  banner  of  revolt. 

The  Spanish  troops  were  soon  in  motion  under  General 
Lemery,  and  fighting  commenced  in  earnest.  A  party  of 
cavalry  lancers  rushed  forward  and  attacked  the  rebels 


BATTLES    OF    CUBA.  5 

with  great  impetuosity  ;  but  they  were  met  with  -firmness, 
and  soon  routed  by  the  Patriots,  leaving  about  20  Span 
iards  dead  on  the  field  and  a  large  number  wounded.  Sev 
eral  Patriots  were  wounded,  but  none  killed.  This  suc 
cess  encouraged  the  revolutionists,  and  others  flocked  to 
their  standard.  The  whole  disposable  force  of  the  govern 
ment  in  that  quarter  were  on  the  alert ;  they  were  divided 
into  columns  of  800  each,  and  proceeded  with  great  energy 
against  the  Patriots. 

Various  other  towns  raised  the  standard  of  revolt  in  the 
early  part  of  July,  and  issued  their  Pronunciamentos, 
among  which  were  : 

In  the  Vuelta  de  Arriba — Puerto  Principe,  Villa  Clara, 
Holguin,  Trinidad,  Bayamo,  Manzanillo,  Cienfuegos,  Santo 
Espiritu,  Las  Tunas. 

In  the  Vuelta  de  Abajo — Pinal  del  Rio,  Mantua,  Galafro, 
and  various  places  nearer  to  Havana. 

Trinidad,  Cienfuegos,  Villa  Clara,  and  all  the  adjacent 
towns  and  villages,  sent  out  their  bands  ;  and  on  the  24th 
of  July  the  banner  was  raised  at  Guinia  Miranda,  and 
proclamations  issued  to  the  citizens  and  to  the  troops. 


BATTLE  OF  COS€ORRO, 

On  the  same  day  (July  4th)  there  was  a  sharp  contest 
between  200  Cubans  and  300  Spaniards,  consisting  of 
100  lancers  and  200  infantry,  who  had  been  dispatched 
previously  to  the  4th,  to  the  Coscorro  mountains.  After 
much  hard  fighting,  the  government  troops  fled,  losing  their 
commander  and  20  others,  who  were  killed.  Twelve  of 
the  Spanish  soldiers  went  over  to  the  Patriots. 


BATTLE  OF  LAS  TUNAS, 

AS  DESCRIBED  BY  ONE  OF  THE  PATRIOTS. 

We  raised  aloft  the  banner  of  liberty  on  the  4th  inst.  in 
the  districts  (partidos)  of  Guaymaro  and  Sebanico,  with 


6  BATTLES    OF    CUBA. 

the  small  number  of  250  patriots.  We  remained  there  till 
the  5th,  when,  in  concert  with  another  band  which  rose  in 
Holguin,  we  directed  our  march  upon  the  town  of  Las 
Tunas,  which  was  garrisoned  by  a  company  of  the  Regi 
ment  of  Zaragosa ;  but  circumstances  growing  out  of  the 
darkness  of  the  night,  led  to  a  meeting  of  the  two  parties 
at  12  o'clock,  before  the  appointed  place,  and  our  comman 
der  inquired,  "  Who  is  it  ?" — to  whom  the  other,  carried 
away  by  the  force  of  habit,  answered  "  Spain ;"  whereupon, 
alas !  the  order  was  given  to  fire  and  charge  upon  them, 
which  charge  lasted  till  they  could  recognize  each  other  in 
the  midst  of  the  combat.  The  result  of  this  unhappy 
affair  was  the  loss  of  five  from  the  Holguin  party,  and  28 
wounded  between  the  two. 

However,  this  disaster  did  not  discourage  our  brave 
patriots,  they  immediately  united,  and  fell  upon  Las  Tunas 
with  the  swiftness  of  lightning ;  they  attacked  the  bar 
racks  by  surprise,  and  after  a  short  resistance,  in  which 
some  were  wounded,  the  company  united  with  them  in  mass 
at  the  magic  word  of  Liberty.  The  Lieutenant  Governor 
of  that  jurisdiction  was  so  cowardly,  that  he  implored  our 
inercy,  and  in  pity  we  left  him  at  liberty,  taking  from  him 
only  his  horse,  sword  and  pistols,  and  $1000  belonging  to 
the  funds  of  the  despotic  government.  Thence  we  march 
ed  upon  the  districts  (partidos)  of  San  Juan  and  Santa 
Cruz,  recruiting  our  force,  and  on  the  8th  we  were  in 
Coscorro  with  380  horse  and  200  foot. 


BATTLE  OF  NAJASSA, 

The  8th  and  9th  were  passed  in  organizing  four  divisi 
ons  under  the  command  of  the  patriots  who  had  most  dis 
tinguished  themselves  at  Las  Tunas  :  and  on  the  10th, 
three  of  them  marched  out,  the  other  remaining  on  the 
mountains.  The  one  commanded  by  Don  Serapio  Recio 
advanced  towards  Santa  Cruz,  and  shortly  before  reaching 
the  river  Najassa,  was  informed  that  four  companies  of  the 
regiment  of  Cantabria  were  marching  in  the  same  direc- 


BATTLES    OF    CUBA.  7 

tion,  under  command  of  Colonel  Conti ;  but  that  the  river 
being  swollen,  they  were  occupied  in  making  rafts  to  cross 
it. 

The  commander  Recio  immediately  ordered  a  march 
towards  that  point ;  he  watched  the  enemy's  movements, 
and  when  sufficiently  near  without  being  seen^  he  planted 
his  250  men  in  ambuscade,  and  waited  till  they  should 
begin  the  crossing  on  the  raft.  That  soon  took  place. 
The  commander  of  the  enemy  crossed  at  the  head  of  the 
first  company,  and  landed,  and  the  raft,  drawn  back  by  the 
ropes,  returned  to  the  opposite  bank  to  bring  over  the  sec 
ond;  our  patriots  remaining  meanwhile  motionless  and 
ready  for  the  attack. 

The  raft  began  to  move  with  the  second  company,  and 
then  the  patriots  fell  upon  them  desperately,  scattered 
confusion  among  them,  took  prisoners  Colonel  Conti,  six 
officers  and  56  soldiers.  The  number  killed  that  could  be 
counted  on  the  banks  was  36,  without  counting  a  great 
number  of  wounded,  together  with  various  materials  of 
war,  taken  from  the  enemy.  Still,  in  the  midst  of  the 
fight,  the  brave  Recio  did  not  forget  the  raft ;  he  ordered 
them  to  cut  the  ropes  and  to  fire  upon  it,  following  it  along 
its  course.  The  result  of  this  most  brilliant  action  in 
which  the  patriots  only  lost  one  killed  and  ten  wounded,  was 
so  complete  that  none  were  able  to  escape  but  those  who 
kept  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river. 

On  the  10th  and  llth,  the  other  patriot  corps  had  vari 
ous  skirmishes  with  the  troops  of  cavalry  and  infantry  that 
marched  out  from  Puerto  Principe  after  them.  On  the 
13th,  in  the  district  of  Guaimarillo,  a  corps  of  artillery 
came  over  to  the  patriots  under  the  command  of  its  Capt 
ain,  Don  Gabriel  Fortun,  composed  of  60  men  and  four 
field  howitzers.  The  14th,  15th  and  16th,  the  liberators 
remained  inactive,  recruiting  men  from  the  country ;  but 
the  17th  was  a  day  marked  by  Providence  to  make  the 
fields  of  Cuba  witnesses  of  one  of  the  most  heroic  deeds  of 
arms  ever  seen  in  the  history  of  revolutions. 


BATTLES    OF    CUBA. 


BATTLE  OF  SAN  MIGUEL. 

At  3  in  the  afternoon  of  that  day;  the  corps  commanded 
by  Don  Augustin  Aguero  de  Aguero,  was  marching 
towards  the  district  of  San  Miguel.  On  the  way  he  re 
ceived  information  that  at  the  distance  of  three  leagues, 
were  marching  in  the  same  direction,  three  companies  of 
the  Regiment  of  Isabel  II.,  and  80  lancers  of  the  squadron 
of  Bourbon.  Aguero  immediately  halted,  examined  the 
positions  he  could  occupy,  and  selected  a  level  spot  bor 
dered  on  the  right  by  a  pretty  high  hill.  He  selected 
50  men  from  the  corps,  and  directed  them  to  advance 
along  the  road  so  as  to  draw  the  attention  of  the  enemy ; 
and  the  rest,  consisting  of  150  men,  he  placed  in  ambus 
cade  at  a  point  agreed  upon. 

As  soon  as  the  commander  of  the  royalists  espied  the 
fifty  Patriots,  confident  in  his  numerical  superiority,  he  ad 
vanced  at  full  speed  upon  them.  They,  on  their  side, 
retreated  upon  the  hill  appointed,  and  there  stood  firm, 
intrepidly  awaiting  the  charge.  The  royalists  did  not 
keep  them  long  waiting ;  they  charged  upon  them,  lance 
in  rest.  At  that  moment  those  in  ambush  presented 
themselves,  and  surrounded  the  lancers,  who,  attacked  on 
all  sides  by  the  republicans,  had  to  succumb,  the  result 
being  that,  of  the  80  who  entered  into  action,  only  10  es 
caped  with  life,  though  badly  wounded. 

POSITION  OF  THE  PATRIOT  FORCES. 

On  the  18th  and  19th,  nothing  worthy  of  note  occurred ; 
but  the  republican  ranks  had  gone  on  increasing  every 
hour.  On  the  20th,  all  the  corps  being  united,  marched 
upon  the  mountains,  which  march  was  interrupted  by 
three  companies  of  the  Regiment  of  Cantabria,  who  were 
beaten  and  dispersed.  After  the  20th,  these  brilliant  po 
sitions  were  occupied  by  2000  patriots,  600  horse,  4  field 
howitzers,  and  the  munitions  and  subsistence  required  for 
two  months. 


BATTLES    OF    CUBA. 


BATTLE  OF  THE  CERRO. 

On  the  21st  of  July  a  band  of  Patriots  sallied  forth, 
and  attacked  the  village  of  the  Cerro,  six  miles  from  Ha 
vana,  and  really  a  part  of  the  city.  They  approached  with 
precipitancy,  and  surprised  and  killed  some  of  the  picket 
guard,  and  then  returned  to  their  fastnesses  in  the  moun 
tains. 

•After  nrt^h  hard  fighting,  the  Liberators  in  the  vicinity 
of  Princip^ere  driven  back  into  the  mountains,  and  a  few 
captured,  among  whom  was  their  brave  commander  Aguero. 
Some  fled  to  the  sea-shore  and  embarked  for  the  United 
States,  and  are  now  among  us. 

It  is  said  that  the  government  authorities  had  succeed 
ed,  by  inducing  the  mothers  of  the  revolters  to  go  and  en 
treat  their  sons  to  lay  down  their  arms  and  accept  of  the 
proffered  pardon,  in  weakening  the  strength  of  the  Pa 
triots.  Many  yielded  to  the  entreaties  of  their  mothers, 
and  this  served  to  dispirit  others.  The  Patriots  were 
poorly  armed  and  equipped,  and  it  is  a  wonder  that  they 
could  make  any  stand  at  all  against  such  fearful  odds. 


LANDING  OF  GENERAL  LOPEZ. 

The  news  of  the  Cuban  struggle  for  independence  pro 
duced  intense  interest  in  this  country ;  and  several  ban 
ished  Cubans  and  others  got  up  an  expedition,  with  the 
gallant  Lopez  as  their  leader,  to  go  and  aid  their  oppressed 
brethren. 

The  Pampero,  commanded  by  Capt.  Lewis,  after  leaving 
the  Balize,  below  New-Orleans,  made  for  Key  West  and 
reached  there  on  the  10th  inst.  After  having  anchored 
in  the  harbor  some  hours,  she  weighed  anchor  at  11  o'clock 
at  night,  and  sailed  for  the  Cuban  coast,  with  Gen.  Lopez, 
suite  and  about  450  men  on  board. 

On  the  12th  she  returned  to  Key  West,  after  having 
landed  Lopez  and  party  at  Puerto  Cabanos,  a  place  about 
40  miles  West  of  Havana. 


BATTLES    OF    CUBA. 


General  Pragay,  the  distinguished  Hungarian,  Adjutant 
General  of  Klapka,  at  Cormorn,  who  has  been  in  forty-two 
battles,  and  is  a  most  skilful  and  gallant  officer,  went  with 
Lopez  as  second  in  command.  There  were  also  twenty 
Hungarian  engineers  in  the  party. 

The  other  officers,  were  Col.  Crittenden,  late  of  the 
army,  a  nephew  of  the  Attorney  General,  who  had  imme 
diate  command  of  an  artillery  company  ;  Col.  Dollman,  of 
Georgia,  who  served  through  the  Mexican  war  ;  Major  J. 
A.  Kelly,  who  served  in  Florida  and  Mexico  j^fcapts.  W. 
Scott  Haynes,  A.  J.  Dailey,  and  others. 

The  Pampero,  on  her  return  to  Key  West,  again  ancho 
red  in  the  harbor,  but  she  was  obliged  to  leave  in  about  an 
hour  to  prevent  seizure  by  our  vigilant  Government 
officers. 

She  hung  aronnd  Key  West,  however,  until  the  night 
of  the  15th,  and  took  off  some  20  or  25  emigrants,  when 
she  sailed  for  Jacksonville,  Florida,  to  take  on  board  Gen. 
Gonzales  and  a  party  of  500  men,  who  were  in  readiness 
at  that  point  for  embarkation. 

It  appears  that,  close  into  the  entrance  of  the  harbor,  Lo 
pez  fell  in  with  a  schooner,  from  which  he  took  out  the  cap 
tain  and  mate,  to  serve  him  as  pilots  on  the  coast  of  Bahia 
Honda,  the  navigation  of  which  is  very  intricate.  They 
arrived  off  Bahia  Honda  about  9  P.  M.,  when  they  imme 
diately  commenced  making  signals  to  the  shore  by  means 
of  rockets,  &c.',  which  probably  had  been  previously 
agreed  upon  between  the  liberators  and  those  on  shore. 
Gen.  Lopez  did  not  effect  a  landing  with  his  men  until  4 
A.  M.  ;  but  the  debarkation  was  done  in  so  masterly  a 
style,  that  before  sunrise  he  had  not  only  landed  his  men, 
with  all  their  munitions  of  war,  but  was  on  his  march  to 
Las  Pozas,  a  town  a  few  miles  distant  from  the  coast, 
where  he  immediately  commenced  entrenching  himself. 


BATTLE  OF  LAS  POZAS, 

LOPEZ'  FIRST   ENGAGEMENT. 

After  the  landing  of  Gen.  Lopez  was  announced  at  Ha 
vana,  the  greatest  excitement  prevailed. 


BATTLES    OP    CUBA.  11 

The  Pizarro,  laden  with  troops,  under  the  command  of 
General  Enna  (who  is  next  in  command  to  the  Captain 
General),  and  with  him  the  Admiral,  left,  about  8  A.  M., 
for  Bahia  Honda,  one  thousand  men  having  previously 
been  sent  by  the  railway  cars. 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind,  that  such  was  the  state  of 
confusion  and  alarm  into  which  the  government  were 
thrown,  that  they  had  no  distinct  idea  as  to  whether  Bahia 
Honda  or  Mariel  was  the  point  to  which  the  liberators 
had  come.C  The  following  morning  General  Enna  •  came 
up  with  the  pirates,  as  they  are  termed  by  the  government, 
and  fought  with  them  at  Las  Pozas,  a  small  town  about 
three  miles  from  the  coast.  He  regrets  the  loss  of  some 
of  his  men  and  others  wounded. 

In  this  engagementj  which  occurred  Aug.  13,  the  Span 
iards  were  commanded  by  Gen.  Enna  in  person,  who  had 
his  horse  shot  from  under  him ;  Col.  Radal  and  seven  offi 
cers  and  about  78  men  were  killed. 

So  unerring  and  deadly  was  the  fire  of  the  brave  libe 
rators  that  Gen.  Enna  was  three  times  repulsed  with  loss. 
At  this  moment  the  Lieut.  Governor  of  Mariel,  Col. 
Guerrea,  came  up,  with  about  two  hundred  men  more, 
when  the  Colonel  received  a  shot  through  his  leg.  and  his 
men  such  a  check,  that  Gen.  Enna  (as  he  states  in  his  offi 
cial  communication  to  the  Captain  General,  dated  3  o'clock 
on  the  14th)  saw  the  uselessness  of  attempting  anything 
further  against  the  pirates  without  more  artillery,  as  it 
would  be  only  exposing  his  men  to  certain  death,  without 
any  favorable  result ;  consequently  he  demanded  further 
reinforcements. 

Accordingly,  two  steamers,  the  Habanero  andvthe  Al- 
niendares,  left  that  day  with  more  troops,  to  the  number  of 
fourteen  hundred ;  so  that,  according  to  their  own  account, 
with  those  who  had  been  concentrating  from  the  other  dis 
tricts,  they  had  upwards  of  8,000  men  including  cavalry, 
and  had  up  to  that  time  taken  only  three  captives,  whom 
they  instantly  put  to  death.  Two  of  the  persons  were 
sailors  belonging  to  the  steamer  Pampero,  who,  after  land 
ing  Lopez,  had  gone  into  a  tavern  and  got  drunk ;  the 
other  poor  fellow  was  found  in  a  hut,  unable  to  move,  from 
a  fracture  he  received  when  landing. 


12  ^BATTLES    OF    CUBA. 


BATTLE  OF  B1HIA  HONDA, 

And  Dreadful  Massacre  of  Fifty-two  American 
Citizens  at  Havana  !  !  ! 

Havana  has  been  the  theatre  of  a  scene  that  could 
hardly  be  equalled,  in  demoniacal  barbarity,  by  the  wildest 
savages  of  the  forest.  One  universal  burst  of  indignation 
arose  throughout  this  union. 

It  appears  that  the  Spanish  war  steamer  Haibanero  fell 
in  with  a  party  of  Americans,  numbering  52,  in  four  boats, 
off  a  place  called  Bahia  Honda,  40  miles  West  of  Havana. 

On  the  15th  it  was  known  that  the  liberators,  who 
had  been  joined  in  large  numbers  by  the  people  of  the 
country,  made  a  move  in  the  direction  of  Diego  de  Nunez 
and  Cabanas,  with  the  intention  of  possessing  themselves 
of  the  fort  at  the  latter  place,  when,  unfortunately,  some 
forty  or  fifty  of- them,  who  had,  in  the  most  daring  manner, 
endeavored  to  get  there  by  sea  in  four  launches,  with  the 
intention  of  taking  the  Spaniards  in  the  fort  by  surprise, 
were  themselves,  after  a  most  desperate  resistance,  cap 
tured  by  the  Spanish  Admiral,  who,  with  his  steamer,  and 
an  immense  number  of  men,  succeeded  in  taking  them, 
after  a  fight  of  four  hours. 

They  were  brought  to  Havana  by  the  Habanero,  on 
Saturday  morning,  at  1  A.  M.,  (Aug.  16,)  and  placed  on 
board  a  Spanish  frigate  lying  in  the  harbor.  They  wrere 
executed  at  11,  15  A.  M.  of  the  same  morning.  They  were 
shot  on  the  public  road  in  Havana  kneeling  with  their 
backs  to  the  executioners.  At  the  least  calculation,  there 
were  present  20,000  spectators.  The  following  are  the 
names  of  most  of  the  victims  : 

Col.  W.  S.  Clendennen  ;  Capts.  F.  S.  Sewer,  Victor  Kerr,  T.  B. 
Veacy:  Lieuts.  James  Brandt.  J.  0.  Bryce,  Thomas  0.  James; 
Doctors  John  Fisher  and  K.  A.  Tournique :  Sergeants  J.  Whiterews 
and  A.  M.  Cotchett ;  Agt.  R.  C.  Stanford  ;  Privates  M.  H.  Homes, 
Samuel  Mills,  Edward  Rulman,  George  A.  Arnold,  B.  J.  Wregy, 
William  Wiseman,  Anselmo  Torres  Herrnandez,  Patrick  Dillonj 
Thomas  Hearsey.  Samuel  Reed,  H.  T.  Vinne,  M.  Philips,  James  L. 
Manville,  G.  M.  Green,  J.  Salmon,  Napoleon  Collins,  N.  H.  Fisher, 
Wm.  Chilling,  G.  A.  Cook,  S.  0.  Jones,  M.  H.  Ball,  James  Buxet, 
Robert  Caldwell,  C.  0.  Wm.  Smith,  A.  Ross,  P.  Brourke  John 


BATTLES    OF    CUBA.  13 

Christdes,  Wm.  B.  Little,  Robert  Cantley.  John  G.  Lanka,  Jas. 
Stauton,  Thomas  Harnott,  Alex.  Mcllcer,  John  Stubbs,  James  Ellis, 
Wm.  Hogan,  Charles  A.  Robinson. 

After  they  were  shot  they  were  dragged  by  the  feet  by 
negroes  and  then  left  to  the  mob,  who  commenced  stripping 
them  of  their  clothes  and  carrying  them  on  sticks  through 
the  streets,  yelling  like  so  many  demons.  Many  of  the 
Cherokee's  passengers,  who  were  on  the  spot  of  execution, 
were  pointed  at  with  a  saeer  of  contempt,  and  many 
stopped  in  the  streets  an  1  insulted,  telling  them  they 
were  one  and  all  of  the  same  party — that  they  were 
Americans,  and  that  ere  long  they  would  be  in  the  same 
situation.  At  night  it  was  dangerous  for  an  American 
to  be  in  the  streets  alone. 

The  American  Consul  was  called  upon  three  hours 
before  the  execution,  and  requested  to  ask  of  the  Captain- 
General  an  order  to  visit  the  prisoners,  that  he  might 
know  what  to  communicate  to  their  friends  and  to  whom 
— but  he  declined  this  act  of  humanity  upon  the  plea  that 
it  was  not  his  duty.  He,  however,  consented  to  write 
a  note,  which  of  course  was  unattended  to,  when  his 
personal  demand  would  have  been  respected. 

When  the  news  of  this  barbarous  massacre  reached  this 
country,  meetings  were  called  in  our  cities  and  large  towns, 
and  the  greatest  indignation  manifested  at  the  cruelty  of 
the  Spaniards,  annd  the  heartlessness  of  the  American 
consul  at  Havana.  The  feeling  was  so  violent  at  New- 
Orleans,  that  when  the  remains  of  Col.  Crittenden  and 
Capt.  Kerr  were  brought  to  that  city,  a  mob  was  raised, 
who  attacked  the  office  of  the  Spanish  paper  La  Patria, 
broke  in  the  windows  and  doors,  and  threw  the  presses, 
cases,  types,  and  furniture  into  the  streets  ;  in  fact,  they 
destroyed  everything  belonging  to  the  office. 

After  demolishing  the  Union  office,  the  rioters  proceded 
to  the  cigar  store  on  the  corner  of  St.  Charles  and  Gravier 
streets,  broke  in  the  doors  and  windows,  and  destroyed  all 
the  stock  and  fixtures,  which  were  very  valuable.  At  7 
o'clock  the  rioters  went  to  the  office  of  the  Spanish  Consul, 
and  destroyed  desks,  furniture,  and  property  of  all  kinds. 
They  also  broke  down  the  sign,  which  they  carried  in 
triumph  to  a  meeting  held  in  La  Fayette  Square. 


14  BATTLES    OF    CUBA. 

Another  dispatch,  dated  22d,  says  a  mob  of  2000  men 
surrounded  the  city  prison  this  morning,  where  the  Spanish 
Consul  had  taken  refuge,  aud  threatened  to  demolish  it 
unless  he  was  delivered  up  to  them. 

Minute  guns  were  fired  from  sunrise  until  night  in  honor 
of  the  murdered  liberators.  Three  or  four  Spanish  coffee 
houses  were  also  destroyed.  The  military  were  called  out. 

It  is  said  the  Spanish  Consul  received  several  letters 
from  murdered  Americans,  written  previous  to  their  exe 
cution,  but  refused  to  deliver  them  up  to  a  Committee  who 
called  on  him.  Subsequently,  however,  he  was  forced  to 
surrender  them. 


ATTACK  OF  THE  SPANISH  STEAMER  HABANERO, 

On  the  American  Steamer  Falcon.     Insult  to 
our  Flag! 

The  following  account  is  given  by  a  passenger  on  board 
the  Falcon : 

On  the  16th  mst.,  as  the  U.  S.  Mail  Steamer  Falcon 
was  proceeding  on  her  voyage  from  Chagres  to  Havana, 
when  off  that  part  of  the  coast  of  Cuba  known  as  the 
Bahia  Honda,  at  10  A.  M.,  we  saw  the  smoke  of  a  steamer 
close  in  shore,  and  shortly  after  she  hove  in  sight. 

We,  however,  held  our  course,  and  running  only  at  our 
usual  speed,  soon  left  her  eight  or  ten  miles  astern,  not 
withstanding  she  seemed  to  be  doing  her  best.  We  at 
first  took  her  for  the  Pizarro,  but  afterwards  learned  that 
she  was  the  Isabella  Catholica,  formerly  an  English  steam 
frigate — the  Caledonia.  After  she  had  been  in  chase  of 
us  for  about  an  hour,  we  saw  the  smoke  of  another  steamer 
on  our  starboard  bow,  close  in  shore,  hull  down.  She 
soon,  however,  showed  herself,  steering  so  as  to  head  us  off, 
in  which,  being  a  fast  goer,  she  succeeded.  She  fired  two 
guns  shotted,  to  seaward  to  bring  us  to,  as  soon  as  she  was 
within  about  four  miles  ;  but  we  took  no  notice  of  her  until 
she  run  down  close  aboard  of  us  and  fired  a  third  shot 
across  our  bows.  After  the  third  shot,  the  engine  was  run 
slow,  when  she  hove  to,  and  hailed  us  to  "  stop  her,"  which 
was  then  done. 


BATTLES    OF    CUBA.  15 

As  soon  as  they  .saw  that  we  had  stopped,  the  officers 
of  the  Spanish  steamer,  the  Habanero,  took  off  their  caps 
and  waved  them  round  their  heads  with  a  hurra!  This 
was  a  decided  insult.  An  officer  then  boarded  us  and  de 
manded  what  ship  we  were,  where  bound,  and  if  we  had 
any  Spanish  passengers,  &c.  He  was  answered,  and  he 
said  he  must  go  on  board  his  vessel  and  report.  He  lost 
no  time  in  doing  so,  and  then  motioned  us  to  go  ahead. 


SECOND  GREAT  BATTLE  OF  GEN,  LOPEZ. 

General  Enna,  after  obtaining  large  reinforcements, 
marched  to  the  field  of  action,  and  came  up  with  the  Pa 
triots  August  17th.  A  terrible  battle  was  fought.  The 
Spaniards  were  determined  to  drive  the  rebels  from  their 
position ;  but  the  latter  maintained  their  ground  and  fought 
like  tigers,  and  finally  routed  the  enemy.  In  this  and  the 
previous  engagement,  the  Spaniards  lost  about  80  officers 
and  300  privates,  either  killed  or  wounded.  Among  the 
killed  was  Gen.  Enna  himself,  whose  remains  were  taken 
to  Havana  and  buried  on  the  20th,  with  great  pomp. 


CLOSE  OF  THE  CUBAN  REVOLUTION, 

And  Execution   of  Gen.  Lopez  at  Havana. 

After  struggling  with  almost  every  disadvantage,  till  the 
latter  part  of  August,  General  Lopez  saw  with  dismay  that 
his  cause  was  desperate.  The  whole  power  of  the  Spanish 
forces  in  the  island  was  brought  to  bear  against  his  few 
heroic  adventurers.  The  Cubans  who  were  favorable  to 
liberty,  did  not  dare  to  enlist,  to  any  great  extent,  under 
the  banner  of  the  Patriots,  and  especially  after  the  barba 
rous  slaughter  of  52  Americans  citizens  at  Havana,  Au 
gust  16th ;  and  those  who  had  enlisted  being  offered  par 
don  by  the  government  if  they  would  leave  the  rebels,  be 
gan  rapidly  to  desert,  until  finally  Gen.  Lopez  was  left  en 
tirely  alone. 


16  BATTLES    OF    CUBA. 

Thos  who  witnessed  his  execution,  state  that  he  ended 
his  life  manfully. 

The  failure  of  the  expedition  is  attributed  to  the  separa 
tion  of  Col.  Crittenden's  command  from  that  of  Gen.  Lopez. 

Just  previous  to  his  capture  he  had  but  thirty  remaining 
followers,  and  they  finally  deserted  him  in  a  wounded  con 
dition,  so  that  he  had  not  one  remaining  friend. 

He  wandered  alone  for  some  time,  and  was  finally  run 
down  by  bloodhounds.  His  last  words  were — "  Adieu, 
dear  Cuba ! » 

The  Spanish  accounts  state  that  of  the  whole  number  of 
Patriots  landed  by  the  Pampero  and  from  other  quarters, 
556  had  already  been  killed,  and  436  were  in  prison. 

Previous  to  the  death  of  Lopez,  he  declared  that  he  had 
been  greatly  deceived  in  regard  to  promised  aid  in  Cuba. 

He  was  captured  and  taken  to  San  Christoval  on  the 
29th,  and  brought  to  the  city  of  Havana  on  the  31st,  where 
he  was  publicly  garroted  Sept.  1st.,  at  7  A.  M. 

A  few  minutes  before  7,  Lopez  was  brought  forward,  and  ascended 
the  platform  (about  15  feet  high),  on  which  was  the  chair  for  the  ex 
ecution.  He  turned,  and  facing  the  multitude  assembled,  addressed 
them  with  a  short  speech  ;  the  conclusion  of  which  (and  his  last 
words)  was,  "  I  die  for  my  beloved  country."  He  then  took  his 
seat,  the  machine  was  adjusted,  and  at  one  turn  of  the  screw,  his 
head  dropped  forward.  He  evinced  not  the  slightest  trembling  or 
fear ;  his  step  was  proud  and  firm,  and  his  voice  clear  and  distinct. 

A  few  hisses  and  groans  were  heard  from  the  crowd  after  the  ex 
ecution  ;  save  that,  everything  was  orderly  and  quiet. 

The  unfortunate  party  were  literally  starved  out.  Several,  it  is 
said,  died  for  want  of  food.  Gen.  Lopez  himself,  when  taken,  was 
alone,  and  had  eaten  his  horse  through  hunger. 

The  insurgents  were  still  maintaining  themselves  in  the 
mountains  near  Puerto  Principe. 

The  punishment  of  the  gar-rote  is  described  as  placing 
the  victim  in  an  easy  chair,  clamping  his  limbs,  placing  a 
band  around  the  neck,  and  gradually  pressing  a  screw 
until  the  neck  is  broken. 

Thus  solemnly  and  awfully  has  ended,  for  the  present,  the  attempt 
of  the  Cubans  to  achieve  their  independence.  But  the  Spaniards,  by 
their  barbarous  and  unheard-of  cruelties,  will  not  gain  many  friends. 
We  confidently  aver,  that  the  time  is  not  far  distant  when  the  down 
trodden,  oppressed,  and  enraged  populace  will  rise  in  their  might, 
and  scatter,  like  chaff  before  the  tempest,  the  minions  of  tyranny  in 
that  beautiful  Island ! 


BATTLES  OF  MEXICO, 


Various  circumstances  contributed  to  produce  this  war. 
In  the  first  place  the  government  of  the  U.  S.  had  cer 
tain  claims  against  Mexico,  acknowledged  by  the  latter, 
but  not  cancelled.  Next,  the  people  of  Texas,  having 
formed  themselves  into  an  independent  government  main 
tained  that  independence  eight  years,  were  desirous  of 
being  annexed  to  the  United  States.  In  order  to  accom 
plish  this  object,  as  Mexico  was  opposed  to  it,  it  was 
agreed  between  our  government  and  that  of  Texas,  that 
the  former  should  send  upon  the  borders  of  Texas,  an 
armed  force  sufficient  to  put  down  any  opposition  from 
Mexico.  Accordingly  Zachary  Taylor,  Col.  of  the  6th 
Regiment  of  Infantry,  was  appointed  to  take  command  of 
these  forces.  He  repaired  to  Fort  Jessup,  Louisana,  and 
found  that  post  garrisoned  by  seven  companies  of  the 
2d  regiment  of  Dragoons,  under  the  command  of  Col.  D.  E. 
Twiggs.  May  10th,  1844,  eight  companies  of  the  3d  Regi 
ment  of  Infantry,  stationed  at  Jefferson  Barracks,  Missouri-, 
repaired  to  the  same  place,  commanded  by  Lieutenant 
Col.  E.  A.  Hitchcock.  Their  encampment  was  called 
Camp  Wilkins.  Eight  companies  of  the  4th  Regiment 
from  Jefferson  Barracks,  went,  May  13,  to  Grand  Ecore 
on  the  Red  River,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Vose. 
Z.  Taylor,  with  the  title  of  Brevet  Brigadier  General, 

2 


lg  BATTLES  OF  MEXICO. 

arrived  at  Fort  Jessup  about  the  middle  of  June.  April, 
1845  two  companies  arrived  from  Fort  Leavenworth, 
making  25  companies  in  all  of  what  was  called  the  "  army 
of  observation."  It  having  been  voted  by  Congress 
(Feb.  1845),  to  annex  Texas  to  the  United  States,  and 
as  the  people  of  that  State  in  convention,  would  meet,  and 
probably  accept  the  proposition  of  annexation  in  July,  it 
was  thought  best  for  the  army  of  observation  to  be  pre 
pared  to  move  to  the  western  frontier  of  Texas  if  neces 
sary.  Accordingly  it  proceeded  to  New  Orleans  in 
July  1845,  ready  to  embark  to  any  requisite  point. 

While  at  that  city  Col.  J.  H.  Vose  of  the  4th  Infantry 
died  in  a  fit,  which  cast  a  gloom  over  his  associates  in 
arms.  July  23d  a  part  of  the  force  set  sail  for  Corpus 
Christi,  (generally  called  Kinney's  Ranch,"  situated  on 
the  western  shore  of  Corpus  Christi  Bay)  and  arrived 
July  31.  Many  interesting  incidents  and  some  spirited 
battles  have  occurred  at  this  military  post,  between  the 
Mexicans  and  Texans,  in  which  Santa  Anna  acted  a 
prominent  part ;  but  we  must  not  tarry  to  describe  them 
here.  The  army  now  was  no  longer  called  "  army 
of  observation ;"  but  the  "  army  of  occupation,"  In 
August  the  aspect  of  affairs  began  to  be  menacing, 
and  it  was  expected  that  Mexico  would  soon  declare 
war.  General  Arista,  was  at  Monterey  with  a  considera 
ble  Mexican  force,  and  there  was  another  at  Matamoras. 
In  the  mean  time  new  companies  from  the  United  States 
occasionally  arrived. 

Sept.  12th,  the  steamer  Dayton,  having  on  board  seve 
ral  officers  a?xd  soldiers,  burst  her  boilers,  on  her  way  to  St. 
osepb's  7  (          :nd  eight  lost  their  lives  in  a  most  distres- 
ing  iLJf,i&£:-,      ji    September  General  Worth  with  six  com. 
&  ^*  jV  .  Ringgold  with  his  company  of  horse 


BATTLES     OF    MEXICO.  19 


and  others,  arrived  at  the  camp.  By  the  middle  of 
ber  1845  the  army  of  occupation  consisted  of  251  offi 
cers  3671  privates,  total  3922.  These  were  on  the  a-yst, 
and  there  were  about  150  in  the  interior. 

Texas  claimed  the  land  to   the  River  Rio  Grande,  anr 
General  Taylor   was  ordered,  in  Feb.  1846,  to  move  th 
army  to  some  point  on  thai  river.     In  March  it  according^ 
started,  having  been  at  Corpus  Christi  seven  monies  ai:i 
eleven  days.     March  l(?th  Col.  Twjggs  met  the  advance.' 
guard  of  the  enemy  and    was  ordered  to  advance  no  fur 
ther.     He  returned    to  the  army  and  reported.     Nothing 
however,  was  seen    of  the  enemy   again  until  our  force.^ 
reached  the  banks  of  the  Colorado,  the  passage  of  whicl 
was  strongly  disputed.     The  Mexican  forces  were  drawi) 
up  on  the  opposite  bank,  and  declared  that   they  would 
fire  upon  our  forces  if  they  attempted  to    cross.     General 
Taylor  told  them,  that  as  soon  as  the  bank  was  cut  down 
for  the  train  to  pass,  the  first   Mexican  that  he  saw  after 
our  men  entered  the  river  would   be  shot.     At  this  they 
fled.     The  Adjutant  general,   Gen.  Mejia,  the  command 
ing  officer  at  Matamoras,  handed  a  paper  to  General  Tay 
lor   informing   him,  that  if  he  crossed  they   would  have 
a   fight  ;    but   no    opposition    appeared.     The   order   of 
march  as  our  army  drew  nearer  Point  Isabel  was  in  four 
columns,  the  Dragoons  on  the  right  and  the  3d  Brigade 
on  the  left.     Before  arriving,  however,  it  was  ascertained 
that  the  place  was  deserted  by  the  enemy  and  that  all  the 
buildings   but  one  were  burned.     Our   army  were  then 
ordered   to  diiect  their   march   towards  Matamoras  arid 
General   Worth    encamped    12   miles   from   that   place. 
General  Taylor  proceeded  to  point  Isabel  and  the    stea 
mers  arid  provisions  arrived  at  the  same  time.      While 
a  deputation  of  fifty  armed  citizens  of  Matamoras,  protesting 


OQ  BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 

there  against  our  occupying  the  country.  The  general  told 
them  that  he  would  answer  them  at  Matamoras.  Defences 
were  ordered  to  be  constructed  at  the  Point  and  Major  Mon 
roe  appointed  Commander  of  the  port.  March  25th,General 
Worth  proceeded  three  miles  farther,  to  Palo  Alto  and  wait 
ed  for  General  Taylor.  March  28th,  the  army  moved  to- 
wards  Matamoras,  which  is  on  the  Rio  Grande,  arriving  op 
posite  the  city  about  11  A.  M.  Two  of  our  advanced 
guard  were  taken  prisoners  by  the*Mexicans,  and  the  horse 
of  a  boy  who  was  a  bugler  ;  which  excited  our  men  con 
siderably.  About  two  hundred  Mexicans  were  to  be  seen 
and  their  colours  flying  in  various  places.  General  Worth 
was  ordered  to  answer  the  deputation  which  visited  Gen. 
Taylor  at  Point  Isabel.  The  Mexicans  for  some  time 
would  not  send  a  boat  across  the  river :  but  at  last  one  came 
with  an  officer.  General  Worth  sent  him  back  saying  that 
he  wished  to  see  the  commanding  officer.  Gen.  Mejia 
said  that  he  would  neither  receive  General  Worth  or  Gen 
eral  Taylor's  communication.  Mejia  sent  General  La  Vega 
and  Worth  crossed  the  river  and  the  interview  took  place 
on  the  Mexican  side.  La  Vega  said  that  the  Mexicans 
considered  us  as  invaders.  Nothing  of  importance  was  ac 
complished  by  the  interview.  A  flag  was  soon  raised  by 
our  army  on  the  banks  of  the  Rio  Grande.  It  was  thought 
that  the  Mexican  force,  at  this  post  was  fifteen  hundred. 
March  26th  it  was  feared  that  our  forces  would  be  attack 
ed  at  night  and  they  were  ordered  to  sleep  upon  their 
arms.  Capt.  May  with  a  squadron  of  the  2nd  Dragoons 
marched  to  Point  Isabel  (27  miles)  in  four  hours  to  reinforce 
the  garrison.  On  the  first  of  April  Gen.  Taylor  demanded 
the  release  of  the  captured  Dragoons  and  they  were  return 
ed  with  their  equipments.  It  is  surprising  that  several  oi 
our  men  deserted  and  went  over  to  the  enemy.  Some  oi 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO  21 

them  were  shot,  who  attempted  to  swim  the  river.     News 
arrived,  April  9th  that  Mr.  Slidell,  United  States  minister 
to  Mexico  having  given  up  all  hope   of  opening  negotia 
tions  had  left  the  city  and  returned  to  the  U.  S. 


BATTLE  OF  MATAMORAS. 

General  Ampudia,  who  had  superseded  Arista,  arrived 
from  the  South  the  llth  of  April  and  ordered  General 
Taylor  to  leave  in  24  hours  or  he  should  consider  us  as 
having  declared  war  against  Mexico.  Taylor  answered 
that  he  did  not  wish  for  24  hours  but  would  return  an  an 
swer  at  10  o'clock  the  next  day.  He  told  Ampudia  that 
he  was  sent  there  by  his  government  in  a  peaceful  atti 
tude  and  he  intended  to  remain,  and  warned  Ampudia 
against  firing  the  first  gun.  Lieutenant  Porter,  while  out 
in  pursuit  of  Col.  Cross,  who  was  supposed  to  be  killed 
was  attacked  by  some  Mexicans  and  slain.  Col.  Cross 
was  afterwards  found  murdered.  April  26th  an  ambush 
was  laid  for  a  company  of  our  men  and  2  sergeants  and 
8  privates  were  killed  in  an  engagement  with  the  enemy. 

There  was  every  appearance  of  a  general  and  speedy  at 
tack.  General  Taylor  sent  a  requisition  on  the  governors 
of  Louisiana  and  Texas  for  5000  men.  April  25th  Gen 
eral  Arista  arrived  at  the  scene  of  action.  April  28th 
Capt.  Walker's  camp  was  attacked  by  Generals  Torrejoa 
and  Canales,  being  stationed  midway  between  Point  Isa 
bel  and  Matamoras.  5  of  his  men  were  killed  and  4  miss 
ing,  he  having  gone  out  with  some  of  his  force  on  a  scout. 
April  29th  it  was  thought  that  the  Point  was  attacked  as 
cannon  was  heard  in  that  direction,  and  a  portion  of  the 


22  BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 

army  inarched  immediately  in  that  direction.     The  report 
was  false  as  there  had  been  no  attack. 

May  3rd  the  batteries  from  Matarnoras  opened  upon  our 
carnp  at  day-break  with  great  energy.  The  battle  was 
fierce  for  a  while  and  in  30  minutes  all  the  heavy  gun 
batteries  of  the  enemy  were  silenced  by  our  artillery. 
The  enemy  threw  many  shells;  but  without  effect . 


BATTLE  OF  PALO  ALTO. 

Most  of  our  forces  were  at  Point  Isabel  and  in  that  vi 
cinity  though  some  were  opposite  Matamoras  .  General 
Taylor ,  May  7th  directed  the  army  to  march  in  the  direc 
tion  of  Matamoras  .  It  started  at  3,  P.  M  .  having  a  val 
uable  train  of  provisions  and  munitions  of  war.  Six 
twelve-pounders  were  in  the  wagons  and  a  battery  of 
two  eighteen  pounders  was  drawn  by  oxen.  The  forces 
were  under  the  command  of  Lieut.  Churchill.  On  the 
morning  of  the  8th  the  enemy  were  observed  less  than 
a  mile  distant,  occupying  a  front  of  about  a  mile  and  a 
half.  The  general  formed  his  men  in  column  of  attack 
and  permitted  them  to  go  half  at  a  time  and  get  water 
to  fill  their  canteens,  as  they  had  marched  twelve 
miles  that  day  and  suffered  from  heat  and  thirst.  Our 
army  moved  on  with  firmness  to  meet  the  enemy,  and 
when  within  700  yards  the  enemy  opened  their  fire  from 
a  battery  on  the  right.  The  right  wing  of  our  army 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO.  23 

was  composed  of  the  fifth  Infantry  on  the  light,  Ring- 
gold's  Artillery,  the  3rd  Infantry,  Churchill's  eighteen 
pound  battery  and  4th  Infantry  and  commanded  by  Col. 
Twiggs.  The  left  wing  composed  of  Duncan's  Artil 
lery  and  the  8th  Infantry  was  commanded  Brevet  Lieuten 
ant-Colonel  Belknap.  Ringgold's  and  Duncan's  batteries 
advanced  and  commenced  firing.  The  enemy  fired  con 
tinually  but  not  with  much  precision.  Their  cavalry 
move  on  the  left  and  then  three  batteries  placed  in  a  line 
at  a  considerable  distance  from  each  other  and  bodies  of 
infantry  between,  making  a  long  line  of  battle.  Ring- 
golds  battery  made  dreadful  havoc,  cutting  down  almost 
whole  platoon's  at  once.  The  two  eighteen  pounders 
roared  tremendously  and  the  cavalry  of  the  enemy  soon 
began  to  -"retire,  at  first  in l  a  trot  and  then  in  a  gallop. 
A  movement  of  the  enemy's  flank,  composed  of  Cavalry 
one  thousand  strong,  endangered  our  train  and  was 
promptly  met  by  a  section  of  Ringgold's  battery  under 
Lieut.  Ridgeway  and  the  fifth  and  third  Infantry.  They 
were  received  by  5th  in  a  square  and  twenty  of  them 
were  killed  from  the  fire  of  an  angle.  When  the  enem^ 
saw  the  3rd  Infantry  advancing  in  column  by  division, 
they  fled  with  rapidity.  On  the  left  Duncan  cut  them 
down  in  great  numbers  and  the  shout  of  our  men  could  be 
heard  above  the  cannon's  roar.  Our  left  wing,  particularly 
the  8th  Infantry,  suffered  from  the  fire  of  the  enemy,  being 
in  a  column  instead  of  being  deployed  in  a  line.  In  the 
midst  of  the  battle  the  prairie  took  fire  and  enveloped  the 
armies  in  smoke.  The  firing  commenced  at  3  P.  M. 
and  ceased  for  a  time  at  4  P.  M.  Then  Ringgold's  bat 
tery  and  the  eighteen  pounders  were  pushed  round  to  the 
left  flank  of  the  enemy  and  the  4th  Infantry  and  Jlst  Brig 
ade  moved  up  to  their  aid.  the  firing  soon  commenced 


24  BATTLES     OF    MKXICO. 

again  and  the  enemy  were  obliged  K  change  their  line  01 
battle.  At  this  moment  Duncan  poured  a  tremendous 
fire  into  their  right  flank  and  threw  it  into  the  greatest 
confusion.  As  night  approached  the  firing  gradually  cea 
sed  on  both  sides.  The  enemy  had  been  driven  froni  his 
position  and  forced  to  retire,  and  our  army  were  left  vie. 
tors  upon  the  battle  ground.  We  had  only  nine  killed, 
fort\  -four  wounded  and  two  missing.  Major  Ringgold, 
Captain  Page,  Lieutenants  Luther,  2nd  Artillery  and 
Wiillen,  4th  Infantry  were  wounded.  Major  Ringgold 
received  a  shot  while  sitting  on  his  horse,  which  carried 
p'vay  the  flesh  on  his  legs  from  his  knees  up  and  passed 
through  the  withers  of  his  horse.  The  lower  jaw  of  Capt. 
Page  was  shot  off.  Lieut.  Wallen  received  a  slight 
wound  in  the  arm  and  Lieut.  Luther  in  the  calf  of  the  leg. 
The  Assistant  Adjutant  General,  Capt.  Bliss^ and  Lieut. 
Daniels  had  their  horses  shot  under  them.  Our  wounded 
suffered  much  during  the  night.  General  Arista  com 
manded  the  enemy  having  6000  men  arid  our  force  consist 
ed  of  2211.  Thus  ended  the  famous  battle  of  Palo  Alto. 
May  9th  the  enemy,  at  day  break,  moved  along  the  bor 
ders  of  the  chaparral  and  it  was  supposed  that  they  intend- 
to  occupy  the  road  arid  prevent  our  farther  progress.  It 
was  decided  that,  we  should  attack  them,  and  after  the  train 
was  suitably  guarded,  our  army  moved  forward  soon  after 
sunrise.  It  was  found  that  the  enemy  were  rapidly  retreat 
ing.  In  going  over  the  battle  field  the  scene  was  awful. 
There  were  at  least  five  hundred  of  the  enemy  killed  and* 
wounded.  It  would  seem  that  eacngK  had  already  been 
done  to  settle  the  difficulty  between  ths  two  nations  but  a 
nation's  pride  is  not  easily  satisfied.  This  ^var  but  the 
commencement  of  bloody  scenes.  Gv;n.  Ta)loi  ordered 
our  men  to  take  care  of  the  wounded  among  tht  <rtss  y 


BATTLES    OF  MEXICO.  25 

wherever  found,  as  carefully  as  our  own  wounded.       At 
1  P.M.  our  army  moved  on. 


BATTLE  OF  RESACA  DE  LA  PALMA. 

Capt.  G.  A.  McCall  was  sent  forward  with  one  hun 
dred  picked  men  to  reconoitre.  He  found  that  the  enemy 
had  selected  a  favorable  postion  and  were  waiting  for  our 
advance.  McCall  had  a  slight  brush  with  them  and  re 
turned.  Our  forces  were  deployed  to  the  right  and  left  of 
the  road  as  skirmishers.  'Capt.  Me  Call's  command  were 
ordered  to  advance  and  draw  the  fire  of  the  enemy.  The 
latter  wereaon  the  opposite  bank  of  a  ravine  concave  to 
wards  us  and  their  batteries  were  so  arranged  a^to  sweep 
the  road  and  every  approach  through  the  chaparral.  Me 
Call  received  the  fire  of  the  enemy  and  Lieut.  Ridgely, 
successor  to  Ringgold,  was  ordered  forward  with  his  bat 
tery.  The  battle  commenced  with  fury.  Frequently 
were  bayonets  crossed,  they  were  in  such  close  proximity, 
The  enemy  gave  way  slowly,  but  fought  like  tigers,  for 
every  inch  of  ground.  The  chaparral  was  so  thick  that 
our  regiments  were  mixed  ;  but  fought  not  the  less  bravely. 
Ridgely  at  one  time,  had  a  body  of  lancers  come  done 
upon  him,  with  tremendous  force,  wThen  he  had  but  one 
piece  unlimbered.  Sergeant  Kearnes  put  a  load  of  can- 
nister  on  the  top  of  a  shell  and  fired  which  scattered  all 
but  four.  Then  Ridgely  charged  them  in  person  and 
(^rove  them  back,  exhibiting  the  greatest  bravery. 

Capt.  May  rode  bick  and  asked  the  general  if  he  should 
charge   the  enemy  on  the  opposite   side    of    the   ravine. 


26  BATTLES    OF    MEXICO 

The  answer  was  u  Charge-,  Captain,  nolens,  volens  !*> 
As  May  dashed  on  by  Ridgely,  the  latter  cried"  hold 
on  Charley  till  I  draw  their  fire  !"  Down  the  ravine 
they  went.  Lieut.  Inge  soon  fell  and  many  others; 
but  the  rest  drove  furiously  on,  crossed  the  ravine 
and  captured  the  battery.  Capt.  Graham's  company 
\vas  with  May's  in  this  charge.  General  La  Vega 
stood  by  his  battery  to  the  last  and  wa£  taken  pris 
oner  by  Capt.  May.  The  3rd*  were  deployed  on  the 
right  of  the  road  ;  but  met  no  enemy  and  not  being-  able  to 
get  through  the  thick,  dense  chaparral,  were  obliged  to 
return  to  get  into  the  action  and  arrived  after  the  enemy 
were  completely  routed.  Duncan  then  took  the  advance 
with  his  battery,  the  Dragoons,-  3rd  Infantry  and  Smith's 
command  being  ordered  to  support  the  artillery.  We 
dashed  on  after  the  enemy  who  were  in  full  retreat,  pour 
ing  uponW-hem  a  very  destructive  fire.  Our  men  soon 
came  up  with  the  enemy's  camp  and  found  it  deserted 
arsd  captured  by  the  brave  Barbour,  who  with  his  company 
of  the  third  Infantry  had  resisted  a  formidable  charge  of 
cavalry.  Mules,  packs,  provisions,  and  other  trophies 
were  left  by  the  enemy.  Our  men  pursued  the  enemy, 
shouting  as  they  went,  to  the  river.  Many  of  the  enemy 
were  drowned  endeavoring  to  swim  across,  and  were  scat 
tered  in  every  direction.  The  rout  was  general  and  com 
plete,  though  our  force  consisted  of  1700  men,  the  others 
being  required  to  guard  the  train.  2000  of  the  best  of 
Mexico's  troops  came  over  to  join  in  this  battle  of  the  9th, 
called  "Resaca  de  la  Palma."  Our  loss  was  three  officers 
and  thirty-six  men  killed,  twelve  officers  and  fifty-nine 
men  wounded.  The  officers  killed  were  Lieut.  Z.  Inge? 
2sd  Dragoons  ;  Lieut.  R.  E.  Cochrane,  4th  Infantry  ;  and 
Lieut.  T.  L.  Chadbourne,  8th  Infantry.  The  wounded 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO.  27 

officers  were  Colonel  M.  M.  Payne,  4th  Artillery,  acting 
Inspector-General ;  Col.  J.  S.  Mc'Intosh,  5th  Infantry  ; 
Capt.  A.  Hooe,  5th  Infantry  ;  Lieut.  S.  H.  Fowler,  5th 
^Infantry ;  Capt.  W.  R.  Montgomery,  Lieut.  J.  Selden, 
SR.  P.  Maclay,  C.  F.  Morris,  C.  R.  Gates,  J.  G.  Burbank 
and  C.  D.  Jordan,  8th  Infantry  ;  and  Lieut.  S.  D.  Dob 
bins,  3rd  Infantry.  We  captured  eight  pieces  of  artillery, 
2000  stand  of  arms,  200  mules,  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  rounds  of  musket  cartridges,  and  all  the  baggage 
and  camp  equipage  of  the  army.  Arista's  private  papers 
and  baggage  fell  into  our  hands.  One  Genera},  one  Colo 
nel,  one  Lieut,  Colonel,  four  Captains  and  five  Lieuten 
ants,  were  taken  prisoners.  Three  Captains  and  foui 
Lieutenants  of  the  enemy  were  buried  on  the  field,  and 
forty-eight  officers  besides  were  acknowledged  by  the 
Mexicans  to  be  missing.  The  killed,  wounded,  and  mis- 
ing  of  the  enemy  could  not  have  been  less  than  2000. 

Gen  Taylor  was  sitting  upon  his  horse  in  the  hottest  of 
the  battle,  and  the  balls  were  rattling  all  around  him. 
An  officer  remarked  to  him  that  he  was  exposing  himself 
too  much,  and  proposed  that  he  should  retire.  The  Gen 
eral  said,  "  Let  us  ride  a  little  nearer,  the  balls  will  fall 
behind  us." 

During  the  bombardment  of  Fort  Brown  (opposite  Mat- 
amoras),  Major  Brown  the  commanding  officer  was  wound 
ed  by  a  shell  May  6th  and  died  on  the  9th  much  lamented. 
The  enemy  fired  2700  shells  at  this  fort  killing  one  officer, 
one  sergeant,  and  wounding  thirteen  privates.  They  were 
repeatedly  ordered  by  the  enemy  to  surrender;  but  would 
not.  Major  Ringgold  died  at  Point  Isabel  May  llth 
and  was  buried  with  funeral  honors  on  the  12th.  May 
17th  our  army  were  ordered  to  cross  the  Rio  Grande  and 
take  possession  of  Matamoras.  General  Arista  sent  over 


28  BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 

and  wished  for  an  armistice  until  he  could  hear  from  tr- 
Capital,  but  Old  Rough  and  Ready  said,  "  No  !"  Taylo, 
was  asked  if  he  intended  to  take  the  city,  "Yes,"  was  the 
reply,  "if  he  had  to  batter  it  down.  Tell  General  Arista, 
said  he,  "  that  the  city  must  capitulate,  all  public  proper 
ty,  amunition,  provisions  &c.  must  be  given  up,  and  then 
the  army  may  march  out  and  retire.  Arista  was  ordered 
to  give  an  answer  by  3  P.  M.  In  the  mean  time  our 
army  marched  three  miles  up  the  river,  where  there  was  a 
suitable  place  for  crossing.  No  deputation  came  from 
Arista  and  we  crossed  May  18th.  By  a  sad  accident 
Lieut.  Stephens  was  drowned.  It  was  found  that  the  Mex 
ican  army  precipitately  left  the  city  and  the  authorities 
invited  General  Taylor  to  take  possession.  The  battle 
field  of  Resaca  de  la  Palma  presented  a  sad  spectacle — • 
such  vast  numbers  of  the  slain  and  now  the  hospitals 
were  filled  with  the  wounded  !  Near  one  poor  wounded 
man,  sat  a  beautiful  girl  of  seventeen  keeping  off  the  flies. 
She  was  his  wife.  There  the  mother  and  her  children  were 
seated  by  the  wounded  father.  Colonel  Twiggs  was  ap 
pointed  to  the  chief  command  of  the  city. 

Colonel  Garland  was  sent  out  with  two  companies  on 
the  19th  to  follow  the  enemy.  After  he  had  gone  27  miles 
he  came  up  with  them,  had  a  skirmish,  and  returned  the 
22d.  Two  of  his  meri  were  wounded.  He  killed  two, 
wounded  two  of  the  enemy  and  captured  twenty  men  with 
their  baggage.  Barita,  a  small  town  near  by,  was  taken 
May  17,  by  Colonel  Wilson.  When  the  Congress  of  the 
U.  S.  heard  of  the  capture  of  Capt.  Thornton  and  his  com 
mand,  that  body  made  declaration  of  war  May  13th,  and 
voted  to  raise  fifty  thousand  volunteers  and  to  appropriate 
ten  milions  of  dollars  for  the  expense  of  the  war.  WTar 
was  declared  by  Mexico,  April  23rd.  Our  Congress  ap- 


BATTLES     OF   MEXICO.  <W 

pointed  General  Taylor  Brevet  Major  General,  after ,  the 
battles  of  Palo  Alto  and  Resca  de  la  Palma. 

Numerous  reinforcements  soon  came  in  and  the  army 
moved  forward.  Monterey,  Reynosa,  Camargo,  Mier  and 
other  towns  were  soon  taken  without  resistance.  'When 
our  army  left  Matamoras,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Clark  was 
appoined  to  the  command  of  the  city.  Poor  Page  after 
suffering  intensely,  died  July  12th. 

The  U.  S.  army  proceeded  up  the  Rio  Grande  as  far  as 
Mier  and  then  left  that  noble  river  and  turned  to  the  south 
towards  Monterey. 

Sept.  14th,  Capt.  McCulIough,  with  thirty-five  men,  had 
a  brush  with  two  hundred  Mexicans,  near  Ramos.  Two 
of  the  enemy  were  wounded,  and  the  Capt.  lost  one  horse. 
Reports  seemed  to  be  confirmed  that  the  enemy  were  pre, 
paring  for  a  hard  battle  at  Monterey.  It  was  expected  that 
we  should  have  a  fight  at  Marin,  where  the  enemy  undei 
General  Torrejon  were  seen,  just  before  our  army  entered 
the  town.  When  we  arrived  the  enemy  had  left.  At  this 
place  the  mountains  at  the  foot  of  which  Monterey  stands, 
were  distinctly  visible,  about  twenty-five  miles  distant. 

Sept.  17th  General  Taylor  was  addressed  by  the  Spanish 
Consul  at  Monterey  inquiring  whether  the  property  of  for 
eigners  would  be  respected.  Taylor  replied  that  he  could 
not  be  responsible  for  anything  if  the  city  was  taken  by 
assault. 

Sept.  19th  at  9  P.  M.  the  advance  of  our  forces  arrived 
within  three  miles  of  Monterey.  Some  heavy  cannon  wer? 
heard  and  our  men  pushed  forward  :  but  before  they  cam* 
within  reach  of  the  guns  General  Taylor  ordered  them  tc 
halt.  It  seems  that  some  lancers  came  out  of  the  city 
and  endeavored  to  draw  our  men  within  reach  of  the  shot 
When  our  advance  halted  the  enemy  opened  upon  us  ii 


30  BATTLES    OF  MEXICO. 

earnest.  The  third  shot  went  directly  over  General  Taylor's 
staff,  coming  very  near  him.  Our  troops  encamped  three 
miles  from  the  city.  The  city  seemed  to  be  well  fortified 
and  it  was  feared  that  our  small  guns  would  not  be  effectual 
^against  the  large  ones  of  the  enemy.  It  was  concluded 
that  our  men  must  take  the  big  guns  of  the  enemy  and 
turn  them  against  themselves.  The  town  was  thoroughly 
reconnoitered  on  all  sides  and  our  men  were  frequently 
fired  upon.  General  Taylor  decided  to  send  Genera. 
Worth  to  take  possession  of  the  road  to  Saltillo,  and  etorm 
the  heights  at  the  west  part  of  the  city.  This  division,  in. 
eluding  Colonel  Hay's  regiment,  and  Captains  McCuL 
lough's  and  Gillepie's  rangers,  moved  off  according  to  order, 


BATTLE  OF  MONTEREY. 


Sept.20th,  (1846),  about  noon.  The  works  commanding 
the  approaches  to  the  city,  are  the  Bishop's  Palace  and  a 
fort  on  a  height  commanding  it  on  the  west:  the  citadel 
on  the  north  and  several  detached  redoubts  on  the  east. 
The  streets  were  barricaded.  In  the  afternoon  a  battery 
was  commenced  for  the  mortar,  and  during  the  night  the 
mortar  and  two  twenty-four  pouiid  howitzers  were  estab 
lished.  An  express  from  General  Worth  arrived  the  same 


BATTLES    CV    MEXICO. 


3J 


night,  stating  that  he  had  arrived  at  his  position,  and  would 
storm  two  heights  southwest  of  the  castle  before  storming 
the  heights  directly  west  of  it. 

Sept.  21st  at  7  A.  M.,  the  first  and  volunteer  divisions 
were  ordered  to  advance  towards  the  city.  Our  mortar  and 
howitzer  batteries  opened  ;  but  did  not  have  much  effect. 
Taylor  directed  the  tirst  division  to  move  to  the  east  of  the 
city  to  support  Majoi  Mansfield  in  reconnoitering  the  ene 
mies'  wrorks.  The  division  was  under  the  command  of 
Colonel  Garland,  4th  Infantry,  and  went'  into  action  with 
the  3rd  Infantry  under  Major  Lear,  4th  Brigade  under  Col 
onel  Wilson  consisting  of  the  1st  Infantry  under  Major 
Abercrombie  and  the  Baltimore  division  under  Colonel  Wat 
son,  and  Bragg's  and  Ridgeley's  batteries.  Major  Mansfield 
was  the  first  to  commence  the  action.  Company  C.,  3rd 
Infantry,  under  Lieutenant  Hazlitt,  was  reinforced  by  com 
pany  H.j  3d  Infancy,  under  Capt.  Field.  The  division 
was  formed  in  line  of  battle  out  of  reach  of  the  guns  of 
the  enemy,  and  was  then  ordered  to  advance  by  Lieuten 
ant  Pope  and  Colonel  Kinney,  and  go  into  the  city  an^ 
storm  battery  No.  1,  at  the  eastern  end.  The  battery  opened 
upon  the  division  anJ  the  first  shot  struck  in  front  of  our 
line  and  ricoched  over  us.  We  were  fired  upon  from  the 
citadel.  Our  men  in  the  midst  of  these  shots,  pushed  rap. 
idly  onward  five  hundred  yards  and  rushed  into  the  streets. 
Not  turning  soon  enough  to  the  left  an  unperceived  batter} 
opened  upon  us  a  deadly  fire  and  balls  flew  from  house-tops, 
yards,  and  from  every  direction  upon  us,  Many  of  our 
men  were  cut  down.  Major  Barbour  was  the  first  officer 
,  who  fell.  An  escopet  ball  passed  through  his  heart.  Our 
men  retired  into  another  street,  under  cover  of  some  walls 
and  houses.  Lieutenant  Bragg's  battery  now  arrived  and 
came  into  the  street  but  could  not  effect  much,  Finally  we 


BATTLES    OF   MEXICO.       „  33 

were  directed  to  retire  in  order  and  make  an  attack  from 
some  other  point.  Capt.  Backus  of  the  1st  Infantry,  succeeded, 
with  fifty  men,  in  stationing  himself  in  a  tan  yard  about  a 
hundred  and  thirty  yards  in  the  rear  of  the  battery  No.  1, 
and  nearer  the  town.  There  wa"S  a  shed  with  a  wall  which 
served  as  a  breast  work  for  our  men.  Twenty  yards 
south ivest  of  the  battery  was  a  distillery  with  thick  walls, 
on  the  top  of  which  were  sand  hag  embrasures.  Capt. 
Backus  drove  the  enemy  from  this.  Two  companies  of 
the  4th  Infantry  (90  strong)  moved  forward  under  a  ter 
rible  fire,  and  determined  to  storm  a  work  defended  by  five 
hundred  men. 

Now  the  Mississippi  and  Tennessee  regiments,  under 
General  Quitman,  advanced  and  finally  took  possession  of 
the  battery,  after  great  loss.  This  was  severe  fighting. 
Major  Lear  was  severely  wounded,  Lieut.  D.  S.  Irwin  killed, 
Capt.  G.  P.  Field  killed  by  lancers,  Lieutenants  .Hoskins 
and  Woods  were  killed  and  Lieutenant  Graham  mortally 
wounded.  Major  Abercrombie  and  Capt.  La  Motte  were 
slightly  wounded.  Lieut.  Diilvvorth  lost  a  leg  and  Lieut. 
Ferret  was  taken  prisoner. 

The  division  was  ordered  to  the  captured  battery  to  sup 
port  Ridgely's  battery,  about  to  advance  into  the  city.  Our 
men  had  the  mortar  and  thr.ee  twenty -four-pound  howit 
zers  playing  upon  the  city  and  one  of  them  having  been 
taken  to  the  captured  work  was  firing  upon  Fort  Diablo.  A 
body  of  .men,  from  the  3rd  and  4th  Infantry,  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty,  were  now  ordered  to  enter  the  city  and  take  pos 
session  of  a  work  of  the  enemy,  apparently  a  few  streets 
distant.  They  were  exposed  to  a  most  destructive  fire;  but 
moved  on,  taking  advantage  of  every  shelter  in  their  way. 
Capt.  L.  N.  Morris,  3rd  Infantry  was  commander.  Our 
men  crossed  one  street  and  were  fully  exposed  to  the  guns 

3 


34 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO, 


mounted  in  barette  of  a  "  tete  de  pont,"  commanding  the 
passage  of  El  Puente  Purissima.  We  passed  through  sev 
eral  gardens  and  streets  and  finally  reached  a  slight  shelter. 
There  was  a  stream  before  us  and  the  enemy  in  force  with 
three  pieces  of  artillery  on  the  opposite  bank,  so  that  we 
could  not  go  any  farther.  All  the  streets  seemed  to  be 
blockaded  and  every  house  fortified.  Capt.  Morris  received 
a  mortal  wound  at  the  bridge  and  Capt.  W.  S.  Henry  took 
the  command,  Lieutenant  Hazlitt  soon  fell.  At  last,  our 
cartridges  being  nearly  exhausted,  we  were  commanded  to 
retire,  in  order,  to  our  captured  works.  At  one  time,  after 
day-light,  we  were  obliged  to  lay  flat  nearly  an  hour,  the 
balls  came  so  thick.  Lieutenant  Ridgely,  with  a  section  of 
his  battery,  advanced  to  the  street  leading  to  the  "tete  de 
pont,"  but  fmdifig  his  fire  entirely  ineffectual,  retired.  Lieut. 
Bragg  put  to  flight,  with  his  battery,  a  show  of  a  charge  of 
lancers.  Our  men  had  not  been  able  to  take  any  dinner  or 
supper  and  the  night  was  cold  and  rainy.  We  had  mounted 
on  battery  No.  1,  one  twelve  pounder,  one  nine,  two  sixes* 
and  one  howitzer,  in  all,  five  pieces. 

While  these  scenes  were  transpiring  under  the  eye  of  Gen- 
«ral  Taylor,  Gen.  Worth  was  moving  towards  the  Saltillo 
road.  A  large  body  of  cavalry  and  Infantry  opposed  him, 
and  charged  upon  our  men.  .They  were  met  by  the  bat 
talion  of  light  troops  under  Capt  C.  T.  Smith  and  Capt. 
McCulloughs  company  of  Rangers.  The  first  squadron  of 
the  enemy  were  mixed  in  with  our  advance  when  the  sec 
ond  came  furiously  rushing  on.  Lieut.  Hays,  of  Duncan's 
battery,  poured  in  among  them  round  shot,  which  passed 
over  the  heads  of  our  men,  and  the  enemy  were  dispersed 
with  a  loss  of  about  one  hundred,  and  among  them,  one 
Colonel.  Our  men  marched  round  nearly  two  miles  to  the 
west  end  of  the  town,  under  a  heavy  fire  from  "  Indepen- 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO  35 

dence  Hill,"  situated  west  of  the  palace  and  from  ''Federa- 
cion  Hill,"  between  which  heights,  the  Saltillo  road  runs. 
Now  General  Worth  determined  to  storm  Federacion  Hill, 
and  Capt.  C.  F.  Smith,  2d  Artillery  with  three  hundred 
men,  half  regulars  and  the  rest  Texans,  -under  Major  Che 
valier,  undertook  the  dangerous  enterprise.  Capt.  Miles 
with  the  7th  Infantry  marched  soon  after  to  his  support. 
As  Capt.  Miles'  command  advanced,  it  was  not  observed  by 
the  enemy  until  it  had  reached  the  small  stream  (Arroyo 
Topa)  south  of  the  city,  along  the  base  of  the  hill  on  which 
the  battery  is  situated.  As  soon  as  discovered,  they  were 
continually  fired  upon  by  the  enemy,  but  without  much 
effect.  Our  men  crossed  the  river  and  formed  on' a  point  of 
rock  out  of  reach  of  the  enemy.  Detachments  were 
then  sent  forward  under  Lieutenants  Grant,  Little,  and 
Gardner  to  divert  the  enemy  from  Capt.  Smiths'  command. 
Colonel  Smith  of  the  2d  brigade,  came  up  with  the  5th 
Infantry  and  ordered  Capt.  Miles  with  the  7th  to  assist  hint? 
in  an  attack  on  Fort  Soldado,  a  temporary  breastwork  a 
little  south  east  of  Federacion  Hill.  They  moved  on  and 
found  that  Capt.  Smith  had  already  got  possession  of  it.  The 
2d  Brigade  formed  and  advanced  amid  a  shower  of  balls, 
and  when  within  a  hundred  yards,  made  a  charge  at  double 
quick  step.  The  enemy  fled  in  all  directions.  The  left 
wing  of  the  7th  entered  the  redoubt  with  that  of  the  5th. 
Many  of  the  Louisiana  volunteers  tender  Capt.  Blarichard, 
and  the  Texan  Rangers  were  up  with  the  advance,  all  fear 
lessly  striving  to  be  the  ^irst  to  meet  the  enemy.  Colonel 
Smith  appointed  Capt.  Smith  to  retain  possession  of  the  first 
height  stormed,  and  Capt  Miles  with  the  7th,  the  last.  Capt. 
Scott  with  the  5th  Infantry,  was  to  move  on  the  same 
ridge  farther  east.  The  second  Brigade  held  their  position 
during  the  afternoon  and  night  of  the  21st.  The  7th  In 


og  BATTLES     OF    MEXICO. 

fantry  were  exposed  to  the  fire  from  the  Bishop's  Palace 
several  hours  •  but  Lieut.  Dana  of  the  7th  infantry,  with 
his  captured  gun,  returned  the  fire  with  some  effect. 

Those  who  occupied  battery  No.  1,  at  the  eastern  ex 
tremity  of  the  city,  at  day-break,  (Sept.  22d,)  were  obliged 
to  lie  flat  in  the  mud  to  shield  themselves  from  the  sharp 
firing  from  Fort  Diablo.  Shells,  fired  from  the  citadel, 
fell  all  around  our  men,  though  none  burst  in  the  work.  Lieut. 
Scarrett  was  laboring  to  put  the  battery  and  distillery  in 
a  better  state  of  defence.  Capt.  Bainbridge  had  command 
of  the  3rd  Infantry  in  the  morning.  A  portion  of  Colonel 
Davis's  regiment,  under  General  Quitman,  relieved  the 
1st,  3rd  and  4th  Infantry,  and  the  Kentucky  regiment. 
In  returning  to  camp,  our  men  received  a  destructive  fire 
from  the  batteries  of  the  enemy,  crosswise.  One  poor  fel 
low,  a  corporal  in  the  4th  Infantry,  was  cut  in  two.  Gen. 
Worth's  attack  upon  the  height,  commanding  the,  Bishop's 
Palace,  at  day-break,  (Sept.  22d.)  was  fierce  and  successful. 
The  force  consisted  of  artillery  and  infantry  under  Colonel 
Childs  and  some  Texans  under  Colonel  Hays.  The  party 
moved  up  the  hill  and  at  the  same  time  Capt.  Miles,  with  a 
small  force,  descended  towards  the  palace  and  gave  three 
cheers  to  divert  the  enemy.  In  return  they  received  a 
shower  of  grape.  The  enemy,  at  the  castle,  being  checked 
so  that  they  could  not  aid  their  flying  forces,  the  height 
was  carried  witti  little  loss.  Capt.  Gillespie  first  entered 
the  breastwork  and  fell  mortally  wounded.  General  Worth 
soon  sent  the  5th  Infantry,  Capt.  Smith's  command  and 
Capt.  Blanchard's  Louisiana  volunteers,  to  reinforce  Colo 
nel  Childs.  Lieut.  Roland  soon  placed  a  howitzer  in  po 
sition  and  blazed  away  at  the  castle  with  much  effect.  A 
light  corps  of  artillery,  under  Capt.  Vinton,  Blanchard's 
company  and  some  Texans  were  on  the  left  of  the  hill, 


BATTLES    OF  MEXICO.  37 

and  fired  continually.  The  fire  was  briskly  returned  by 
the  enemy. 

About  noon,  the  Mexican  cavalry  deployed  before  the 
palace  and  endeavored  to  charge  upon  our  skirmishers. 
Our  men  pursued  them,  under  Vinton,  with  terrible  effect. 
Many  of  the  enemy  were  kept  from  entering  the  castle 
again,  as  our  men  rushed  in  through  every  opening-,  and 
drove  the  enemy  before  them.  Lieutenant  Ayers  was  the 
first  to  enter,  pull  down  the  Mexican  flag,  and  raise  the  star 
spangled  banner. 

After  the  castle  was  taken,  General  Worth  moved  down 
his  forces  from  the  hill  and  the  amunition  train  the 
ranch  of  the  Saltillo  road  and  remained  in  the  castle  dur 
ing  the  night  of  Sept.  22nd.  He,  however,  ordered  the 
5th  Infantry  and  Blanchard's  company  to  return  to  the 
redoubt  on  the  hill  where  were  stationed  the  7th  Infantry. 

Sept.  23d.  at  7  o'clock  in  the  morning  General  Worth 
opened  upon  the  town,  from  the  castle,  with  the  enemy's 
own  guns,  as  he  intended  to  do  when  he  first  approached 
the  city.  A  report  was  raised  that  the  enemy  were  endeav 
oring  to  escape  and  the  whole  command  were  out  imme 
diately  marching  towards  them. 

It  was  now  expected  every  moment,  that  the  city  would 
capitulate  ;  but  they  held  out  and  fought  like  tigers.  At 
the  east  end  of  the  city  the  firing  commenced  briskly,  the 
same  morning  at  day-break.  The  Texan  cavalry  under 
Colonel  Woods,  had  dismounted,  and  with  the  Mississip- 
pians,  under  Colonel  Davis,  were  engaged -with  the  enemy. 
The  Mississippians  very  early  took  possession  of  Foit 
Diablo,  without  any  opposition,  as  the  enemy  had  aban 
doned  it  the  preceding  evening.  This  was  the  place 
from  which,  on  the  21st  and  22d,  our  men  had  received 
such  a  destructive  fire.  This  force  under  General  Quit 


33  BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 

man,  drove  the  enemy  before  them  from  house  to    house, 
shooting  them  wherever  they  saw  one  of  their  heads  pro 
jecting. 

Bragg's  battery  was  now  ordered  into  the  city  and  tne 
3rd  Infantry  ordered  to  support  it.  They  moved  forward, 
and  when  they  came  within  range  of  the  enemy's  guns 
of  the  citadel,  they  crossed  the  field  of  fire  at  full  gallop 
and  were  unharmed.  The  3d  went  under  cover,  in  a  cir 
cuitous  route.  On  their  arrival  in  the  city  they  found  it 
cleared  of  the  enemy  on  a  line  with  the  cathedral,  and 
writhin  two  squares  of  it.  This  edifice  was  in  the  main 
plaza,  where  the  enemy  had  been  concentrated.  Much 
bravery  was  manifested  by  General's  Quitman,  Hender 
son,  Lamar,  and  Colonels  Wood  and  Davis.  Several 
were  wounded  and  a  few  killed.  Bragg's  battery*  was 
in  action  with  them  during  the  remainder  of  the  day. 
The  fighting  was  not  so  severe  as  it  was  on  the  21st,  ex 
cept  in  the  street  running  directly  from  the  cathedral.  It 
could  not  be  crossed  without  passing  through  a  shower  of 
bullets.  One  of  Bragg's  pieces  had  little  effect  in  this  street 
as  the  weight  of  metal  was  too  light.  Bragg's  first  ser 
geant  by  the  name  of  Weightman,  was  shot  while 
pointing  the  gun.  Our  men  could  only  cross,  without 
great  danger  of  being  shot,  excepting  when  our  piece 
was  pointed  at  the  enemy.  fiThen  the  Mexicans  would  fall 
behind  their  barricade  and  our  men  wrould  cross  in  squads. 
As  soon  as,  our  piece  was  fired  the  balls  of  the  enemy 
came  down  the  street  like  a  shower  af  hickory  nuts. 

General  Taylor  was  in  town  entirely   regardless  of  his 

person  in  the  midst  of  danger.     This  was  very  imprudent 

ncl  wrong.     He  even  crossed  the  street  where    so  many 

balls  were  continually  passing,    and   crossed   in  a  walk. 

A  commanding  officer  ought  to  look  out   for  himself  and 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO.  39 

army  better  than  that.  Taylor  was  brave  to  the  back 
Lone,  but  imprudent.  Capt  Henry  reminded  him  that  he 
ought  to  retire  to  a  safer  position  ;  but  he  said  cc  TAKE 
TH\T  AXE  AND  KNOCK  IN  THAT  DOOR."  Our  men  commenced 
on  the  door  and  the  occupant  unlocked  and  opened  it,  and 
behold  it  was  an  extensive  apothecary  shop.  The  doctor 
(San  Juan)  treated  his  visitors  to  ripe  limes  and  cool  water. 
He  said  that  Ampudia  was  in  the  Plaza  with  four  thousand 
men,  and  that  two  thousand  were  in  the  citadel.  One  door 
was  burst  open  and  we  saw  five  genteel  looking  women  who 
were  on  their  knees  with  crucifixes  pleading  for  mercy. 
They  were  very  grateful  when  they  found  that  their  throats 
were  not  to  be  cut.  General  Taylor  expected  that  Gene 
ral  Worth  would  commence  throwing  shells  into  the  city, 
in  the  afternoon,  and  perceiving  that  the  field  pieces  were 
of  little  use,  ordered  these  forces  to  retire  to  camp.  During 
the  day  (23rd)  the  enemy  sent  in  a  flag  of  truce,  requesting 
a  cessation  of  hostilities,  that  the  women  and  children 
might  be  removed.  Old  Rough  and  Ready  said,  "  No,  it 
was  too  late."  It  was  reported  that  some  of  the  enemy 
were  leaving  on  pack  mules,  and  undoubtedly  many  others 
would  have  left,  had  not  General  Worth  taken  possession  of 
the  Saltillo  Road.  General  Worth  on  the  west  side  of  the 
city,  ordered  a  heavy  gun  under  Capt.  Chapman's  company 
to  open  on  the  city.  This  firing  drove  the  enemy  from 
their  lines  bordering  on  the  river..  About  10  A.  M.  the  7th 
Infantry  left  the  redoubt  and  joined  Gen.  Worth,  at  the 
palace,  for  the  purpose  of  entering  the  city.  The  enemy 
did  not  make  so  great  a  resistance  at  the  west  part  of  the 
town  as  at  the  east  where  they  were  in  a  larger  body,  and 
our  men  did  not  suffer  so  much  in  the  former  as  in  the  latter 
position.  There  was  some  loss,  however.  Capt.  M.  Kavett, 
of  the  8th  Infantry,  while  marching  around  the  base  of  the 


40  BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 

hill,  on  the  morning  of  the  21st,  was  killed.  Lieut.  Potter  7th 
Infantry,  while  storming  the  redoubt,  was  wounded.  Lieut. 
Rossell  was  wounded  in  the  attack  upon  the  palace.  Major 
Brown's  company  of  artillery,  Capt.  Blanchard's  company  and 
some  Texan  Rangers,  with  a  piece  from  McKall's  battery, 
were  ordered  to  march  under  Brown  arid  take  possession  of  a 
mill  on  the  road  to  Saltillo,  in  order  to  cut  off  retreat.  The 
city  had  been  reconnoitered  by  Lieutenant,  Meadeand  Capt. 
McCullough.  They  found  that  the  city  had  been  cleared 
oi'  the  enemy  as  far  as  the  Plaza  in  which  was  the  ceme 
tery.  Capt.  Miles,  with  three  companies  was  ordered  to 
take  possession  of  the  street  nearest  the  river.  Col 
onel  Stannlford  was  to  take  posession  of  the  next  street 
north.  Both  parties,  the  first  under  the  direction  of  Capt. 
Holmes,  and  the  second,  under  Capt.  Scriven,  moved  on 
and  took  possession  of  the  cemetery,  without  a  shot  from 
the  enemy.  Loop  holes  had  been  made  in  the  walls  and 
they  had  been  prepared  for  defence.  A  piece  of  artillery  fol 
lowed  each  of  these  commands.  Then  came  Colonel  Childs 
with  the  Artillery  Battalion  and  Capt.  Miles  with  the  remain 
der  of  the  7th  and  a  company  of  the  8th  Infantry.  The  last 
was  designed  to  protect  the  amunition  train  sent  round  byGen. 
Taylor.  Major  Monroe  and  Lieut.  Lovell  soon  placed  the 
mortar  in  position.  Captains  Holmes  and  Scriven,  with 
their  forces  marched  through  the  .  same  streets  to  a  square 
in  advance  of  the  cemetery  and  soon  commenced  with  the 
enemy.  Colonel  Childs  followed  the  street  upon  which  was 
situated  a  large  Plaza.  Capt.  Gatlin  of  the  7th 

was  now  wounded.  Our  troops  were  soon  under  cover  of 
walls  and  were  reinforced  by  two  companies  of  the  5th 
under  Capt  Merrill,  and  finally  by  three  more  under  Major 
Scott.  The  column  in  the  next  street  under  Colonel  Smith 
were  now  shortly  engaged  with  the  enemy.  Capt.  Holmes 


|^  BATTLES    OF    MEXICO  4l 

was  aided  by  Texans  under  Walker,  and  found  bis  way 
through  gardens  and  houses  until  he  came  very  near  the 
enemy  in  Cathedral  Plaza.  Lieut.  Colonel  Duncan  was 
sweeping  the  street  with  his  •battery.  Major •  Brown  was 
ordered  to  join  the  Texans  in  the  Plaza  and  aid  Col.  Childs. 
They  worked  their  way  towards  the  enemy  with  pickaxes, 
and  soon  came  up  with  them,  and  cracked  away.  Night 
came  on  and  our  men  kept  possession  of  the  houses  taken, 
excepting  Capt.  Holmes  who  thought  best  to  go  back  a  little 
as  he  .was  far  in  advance  and  had  many  wounded.  Our 
troops  in  the  Plaza  took  possession  of  the  houses  on  both 
sides  and  rested  till  morning.  Lieutenant  Lovell  threw  shells 
'into 'the  city  during  the  night  with  great  effect,  and  the 
enemy  returned  the  compliment  from  their  howitzers. 
Lieutenant  'Gardner  of  the  7th,  manifested  much  bravery 
in  leading  the  advance  with  ladders  and  pickaxes.  At 
one  time  nearly  all  of  his  men  were  killed  or  wounded. 

After  reveille,  on  the  morning  of  Sept.  24th,  General 
Ampudia  sent  Colonel  Murino  into  our  camp  with  a  flag  of 
truce,  and  an  offer  to  surrender  the  city,  if  General  Taylor 
would  allow  him  to  march  out  with  his  troops  and  all  the 
public  property.  Of  course  when  the  city  was  nearly  in 
our  hands,  such  an  offer  was  declined-  But  General  Tay 
lor  sent  back  his  terms,  saying  that  an  answer  would  be 
received  at  General  Worth's  headquarters  at  12  M.  JVIu- 
rino  said  that  he  had  been  informed  that  commissioners 
had  been  appointed  to  negotiate  for  peace  and  that  no  rein 
forcements  would  be  sent  them,  and  that  it  would  cost  us 
two  thirds  of  our  command  to  take  the  city,  if  we  could  do 
it  at  all.  The  action  was  to  commence  again  if  terms  were 
not  agreed  upon. 

The  commissioners  on  our  side  were  Generals  Worth  and 
Henderson  and  Colonel  Davis.  On  the  other  side  thev 


42  BATTLES     OF   MEXICO. 

were,  Manuel  M.   Llano,  T.  Requena.  and   Ortega.     The 
following  are  the  terms : 

Terms  of  the  Capitulation  of  the  City  of  Monterey,  the 
Capital  'of  Nutva  Leon,  agreed  upon  by  the  undersigned 
Commissioners,  to-wit:  General  Worth,  of  the  United 
States  army  ;  General  Henderson,  of  the  Texan  Vol 
unteers  ;  and  Colonel  Davis  of  the  Mississippi  Riflemen, 
''onthe  part  of  Major-general  Taylor,  commanding  in  chief 
of  the  United  States  forces  ;  and  General  Requena  and 
General  Ortega,  of  the  ar.ny  of  Mexico,  and  Senor 
Manuel  M.  Llano,  Governor  of  Nueva  Leon,  on  the  part 
of  Senor  General  Don  Pedro  dimpudia,  commanding  in 
chief  of  the  army  of  North  Mexico. 

ARTICLE  1.  As  the  legitimate  result  of  the  operations 
before  this  glace,  and  the  present  position  of  the  contending 
armies,  it  is  agreed  that  the  city,  the  fortifications,  cannon, 
the  munitions  of  war,  and  all  other  public  property,  with 
the  undermentioned  exceptions,  be  surrendered  to  the  com 
manding  general  of  the  United  States  forces  now  at 
Monterey. 

ARTICLE  2.  That  the  Mexican  forces  be  allowed  the  fol 
lowing  arms,  to-wit :  The  commissioned  officers^  their  side 
arms ;  the  Infantry,  their  arms  and  accoutrements  ;  the 
cavalry,  their  artillery,  one  field  battery,  not  to  exceed  six 
pieces,  with  twenty-one  rounds  of  amunitibn. 

ARTICLE  3.  That  the  Mexican  armed  forces  retire  within 
seven  days  from  date,  beyond  the  line  formed  by  the  pass 
of  the  Rinconada,  the  city  of  Linares,  and  San  Fernado  de 
Pusos. 

ARTICLE  4.  That  the  citadel  of  Monterey  be  evacuated 
by  the  Mexican  and  occupied  by  the  American  forces  to 
morrow  at  10  o'clock.  \ 


BATTLES    OF  MEXICO.  43 

ARTICLE  5.  To  avoid  collisions,  and  for  mutual  conveni 
ence,  that  the  troops  of  the  United  States  will  not  occupy 
the  city  until  the  Mexican  forces  have  withdrawn,  except 
for  hospital  and  storage  purposes. 

'  ARTICLE  6.  That  the  force  of  the  United  States  will  not 
advance  beyond  the  line  specified  in  the  third  article  before 
the  expiration  of  eight  wreek,  or  until  the  orders  of  the  res 
pective  governments  can  be  received. 

ARTICLE  7.  That,  the  public  property  to  be  delivered  shall 
be  turned  over  and  received  by  the  commanding  generals 
of  the  t\vo  armies. 

ARTICLE  8.  That  all  doubts  as  to  the  meaning  of  any  of 
the  preceding  articles  shall  be  solved  by  an  equitable  con 
struction,  and  on  the  principles  of  liberality  to  the  retiring 
army. 

ARTICLE.  9.  That  the  Mexican  flag,  when  struck  at  the 
citadel,  may  be  saluted  by  its  own  battery. 
W.    J.  WORTH, 

Brigadier  General  United  States  Army. 
J.  PINKNEY  HENDERSON, 
Major-General  com'g  Texan  Volunteers. 
JEFFERSON  DAVIS, 
Colonel  Mississippi  Riflemen. 
J.  M.  ORTEGA, 

T.  REQUENA,  f 

MANUEL  M.  LLANO,  f 

i      (  PEDRO  AMPUDIA, 
Approved,    j  z  TAYL()RJ  Maj>  Qen>  s>  A  com,g< 

Dated  at  Monterey,  September  24th,  1846. 

Our  troops  were  commanded  during  the  imposing  cere 
mony  by  Colonel  P.  F.  Smith.  When  the  Mexican  flag 
was  lowered,  they  fired  a  salute  of  eight  guns.  When 
our  flag  was  raised  twenty  -eight  guns  were  fired  from  the 


44  BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 

Bishop's  Palace.  Our  troops  marched  into  the  city  to  the 
tune  of  Yankee  Doodle.  Thus  ended  one  of  the  severest 
battles  ever  fought  on  the  continent.  The  Mexicans, 
in  all  of  the  battles  with  us  have  fought  more  desperately, 
*rom  the  fact  that  our  forces  were  so  very  few,  compared 
with  theirs.  They  were  ashamed  to  be  beaten  by  such 
an  inferior  force.  '  We  have  believed  from  the  first  that  an 
army  of  fifty  thousand  men  could  have  marched  to  the 
capital  of  Mexico  without  shedding  a  drop  of  blood. 
How  awful  the  idea  of  ushering  such  multitudes  of  im. 
mortal  souls  into  the  presence  of  their  Maker,  in  such  a 
manner !  General  Ampudia  had  about  ten  thousand  men 
in  action,  seven  thousand  of  whom  were  regulars.  Our 
force  consisted  of  four  hundred  and  twenty-five  officers 
and  six  thousand  two  hundred  and  twenty  men.  VYe 
lost  twelve  officers  and  one  hundred  and  eight  men  killed  \ 
twenty-six  officers,  and  three  hundred  and  seven  privates 
were  wounded.  The  loss  of  the  enemy  was  thought  to 
have  exceeded  ours.  Our  men  captured  forty-two  pieces 
of  artillery  and  one  eighteen-pounder.  The  munitions  of 
war  captured  from  the  enemy  were  immense.  The  fol 
lowing  is  a  list  of  the  officers  killed. 

Captain  Williams  Topographical  Engineers ;  1st  Infan 
try,  Lieutenant  J.  C.  Terrett,  Lieutenant  R.  Dilworth  ;  3d 
Infantry,  Captains  L.  N.  Morris,  G.  P.  Field,  and  Brevet 
MajoV  P.  N.  Barbour,  Lieutenants  D.  S.  Irwin  and  R. 
Hazlitt;  4th  Infantry,  Lieutenant  C.  Hoskins,  Brevet 
Lieutenant  J.  S.  Wood,  2d  infantry  (serving  with  the  4th) ; 
8th  Infantry,  Captain  H.  M'Kavett ;  Baltimore  Battalion, 
Colonel  Watson  ;  1st  Ohio,  Lieutenant  Hett ;  1st  Tennes 
see,  Captain  Allen,  Lieutenant  Putnam  ;  Captain  Gillespie, 
Texan  Rangers.  Wounded  :  Major-general  Butler,  Major 
Mansfield ;  1st  Infantry,  Major  J.  S.  Abercrombie,  Captain 


BATTLES     OF    MEXICO.  45 

J.  H.  Lamotte;  3d  Infantry.  Major  W.  W.  Lear,  Captain 
H.  Bainbridge ;  4th  Infantry,  Lieut.  R.  H.  Graham ;  5th 
Infantry  N.  B.  Rossell ;  7th  Infantry,  Capt.  R.  C.  Gatlin, 
Lieutenant  J.  Potter  ;  8th  Infantry,  Lieutenant  G.  Wain- 
wright ;  1st  Ohio,  Colonel  Mitchell,  Captain  George,  Lieu 
tenants  Armstrong,  Niles,  Morter,  McCarty  ;  1st  Tennessee. 
Major  Alexander,  Lieutenants  Allen,  Scudder,  and  Nixon  ; 
1st  Mississippi,  Lieutenant  Colonel  M'Clung,  Captain 
Downing,  Lieutenants  Cook  and  Arthur. 

It  is  astonishing  that  the  city  could  be  taken  at  all  by 
so  few.  The  citadel  is  a  regular  bastion  work  with  revet 
ments  of  solid  masonry,  with  thirty-four  embrasures. 
Inside  are  the  remnants  of  an  unfinished  cathedral,  which  is 
itself  a  work  of  defence.  Two  magazines  were  discovered, 
with  ammunition  enough  to  have  fired  at  us  for  a  month.  In 
ruearly  every  street  were  works  of  defence.  Barricades  over 
lapped  each  other,  and  ditches  were  dug  in  front,  and  every 
house  seemed  to  be  a  fortification.  On  the  eastern  part  of 
the  city  there  were  barricades  defending  each  other,  and  it  is 
surprising  that  Worth's  division  who  operated  there,  were 
not  all  cut  to  pieces.  The  Bishop's  Palace  has  two  or 'three 
heavy  guns  mounted,  in  Barbette,  pointing  towards  the 
city.  There  were  many  fortifications  around  the-  city, 
Making  it  a  perfect  Gibraltar. 

Sept.  26th,  the  enemy  were  seen  in  great  numbers 
mounted  on  every  thing  that  looked  like  a  horse,  from  the 
mustang  to  the  donkey,  preparing  to  follow  the  army. 
Ampudia  left  on  the  25th  with  two  divisions.  The  troops 
of  the  enemy  had  left  the  city  before  the  close  of  the  first 
week  in  October.  General  Worth  and  his  division  occu 
pied  the  city,  and  Capt.  Miles  was  his  executive  officer.  The 
Governor  of  the  city  was  allowed  to  go  on  as  usual,  except 
ing  that  he  was  required  to  furnish  supplies  for  our  army,  for 


4/-  BATTLES    OF  MEXICO. 

which  we  were  fto  pay  cash.  Several  deserters  were  ob 
served  in  the  ranks  of  the  enemy,  among  which  was  Riley, 
who  was  appointed  a  captain  in  the  artillery  of  the  enemy. 
Immediately  after  the  battle,  the  Texas  troops  were  dis 
charged. 

When  Ampudia  reached  Saltillo,  he  issued  a  proclama« 
tion,  declaring  that  he  had  repulsed  us  with  a  loss  of  fifteen 
hundred  men,  on  the  21st,  that,  being  scarce  of  amunition 
and  provisions,  a  conference  was  held  on  the  24th  and  terms 
were  agreed  to,  which  saved  their  honor  and  they  marched 
out  with  their  arms.  That  Santa  Anna  was  coming  and 
then  they  would  see  who  would  be  the  conquerors. 

On  the  16th  of  August,  General  Santa  Anna  arrived  at 
Vera  Cruz,  and  was  allowed  to  land,  as  our  governmen 
thought  that  he  would  use  his  best  exertions  to  bring 
about  a  peace ;  but  the  duplicity  of  the  Mexican  character 
must  be  learned  by  sad  experience.  His  proclamation,  on 
the  day  of  his  arrival,  told  his  warlike  intentions.  He  was 
immediately  invested  with  the  command  of  the  army, 
while  General  Salas  acted  as  President  of  the  republic.  He 
went  to  San  Luis  Potosi  to  raise  an  army. 

Oct.  12th,  Lieutenant  R.  H.  Graham,  4th  Infantry,  died 
of  his  wcunds  received  Sept.  21st. 

It  was  said  that  a  woman  named  Dos  Amades,  com 
manded  a  company  of  Mexican  lancers,  who  fought  des 
perately  and  killed  many  of  our  men. 

Oct.  25th,  Capt.  Ridgely's  horse  fell  with  him  in  Monte 
rey  and  so  injured  him  that  he  died  on  the  27th,  and  was 
buried  with  military  honors  the  next  day.  He  was  a  fine 
officer  and  a  graduate  of  West  Point. 

The  troops  on  the  Rio  Grande  were  under  General  Pat 
terson,  whose  head  quarters  were  at  Camargo.  The  fol- 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO.  4? 

lowing  were  the  different  regiments,  and  the  mode  of  their 
distribution : 

At  Camargo.  2d  Brigade,  General  Pillow  commanding, 
composed  of  2d  Tennessee,  Colonel  Haskell ;  Alabama, 
Colonel  Coffee  ;  Ohio  and  Kentucky  Brigade,  General  Mar 
shall  commanding,  composed  of  the2d  Kentucky,  Colonel 
McKee,  2d  Ohio,  Col.  Morgan ;  Illinois,  Brigade,  General 
Shields  commanding,  composed  of  3d  Illinois,  Colonel 
Forman,  4th  Illinois,  Colonel  Baker,  2d  Infantry,  Colonel 
Riley. 

At  Reynosa,  Company  H.  2d  Artillery  and  two  compa 
nies  of  the  1st  Indiana,  Captain  Swartwout  commanding. 

Matamoras,  3d  Ohio,  Colonel  Curtis,  Captains  Loads, 
Vanness,  and  Normanrs  companies  of  Artillery.  Colonel 
Clarke  commanding. 

Camp  Belknap,  Indiana  Brigade,  General  Lane  com 
manding  ;  2d  Indiana,  Colonel  Bowles,  3d  Indiana,  Colonel 
Lane. 

Mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande,   1st  Indiana,  Colonel  Drake. 

"Srasos  Island,    Captain   Porter's   company   of    Artillery. 

Point  Isabel,  one  company  of  Artillery,  -Major  Gardner 
commanding 

Nov.  2d,  1846,  orders  were  received  from  Washington, 
directing  General  Taylor  to  announce  to  the  Mexican 
authorities  that  the  armstice  was  broken  up  and  that  we 
were  to  commence  hostilities  with  greater  energy  than  ever 
Major  Graham,  with  a  small  escort  was  dispatched  to  givw 
the  information  to  the  Mexican  forces.  General  Patterson 
was  ordered  to  Tampico  with  a  part  of  our  forces  at  Mon 
terey.  General  Worth  was  ordered  with  his  division  except 
ing  the  7th  Infantry,  a  company  of  artillery  and  McKalPs 


^g  BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 

Battery   and  Colonel  Smith,     to  march  to   Saltillo  on  the 
12th  (Nov.) 

Santa  Anna  took  away  the  commissions  and  placed  m 
tonfmement  all  the  principal  officers  of  Ampudia's  army, 
exce  t  I  g  Mejia  and  Racina.  Parades  had  gone  to  Ha 
vana.  On  the  8th  news  arrived  in  camp  that  Gen.  Wool 
had  arrived  atMonclova  and  would  not  advance  upon  Chi 
huahua  until  further  orders. 

On  the  lOtli  Major  Graham  returned,  not  having  gone 
rarther  than  Saltillo.  He  learned  that  Santa  Anna  was  at 
San  Luis  Potosi,  with  sixteen  thousand  men,  and  expected 
iix  thousand  more;  but  he  was  nearly  destitute  of  funds 
,tind  the  army  had  a  scarcity  of  provisions  and  clothing. 

On  the!2th  Mr.  McLane  arrived  from  Washington  order 
ing  our  army  to  take  all  the  towns  between  Monterey  and 
Tamp  i  co. 

On  the  13th,  Generals  Taylor  and  Worth  moved  towards 
Satillo,  and  took  possession  of  the  city  on  the  16th.  It  is 
seventy-five  miles  from  Monterey.  Capt.  Harden  with  his 
Dragoons,  was  left  in  the  city. 

On  the  24th  Capt.  Taylor  arrived  from  Camargo,  with 
two  eighteen-pounders  and  two  eight  inch  howitzers.  Gen. 
Shields  and  Col.  Harny,  arrived  from  General  Wool's  com 
mand  on  the  24th.  The  former  is  to  go  to  Tampico  and 
take  the  command.  Brevet  Major  Buchanan,  4th  Infantry, 
was  appointed  to  command  the  Baltimore  Batallion  of  Vol 
unteers.  Col.  Benton  sailed  for  Tampico,  from  Brasos,  with 
six  companies  of  artillery,  about  the  same  time.  Santa 
Anna  destroyed  the  water  tanks  between  Monterey  and 
Tampico.  Seven  Texans  had  been  taken  prisoners  at  Chi 
na,  before  onr  army  reached  Monterey.  General  Taylor 
demanded  their  release.  '  Santa  Anna  complied.  They  re 
ported  that  Santa  Anna  had  about  27,000  men  at  San 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO.  49 

Luis  Potosi.  The  Mexicans  caused  some  of  our  men,  most 
ly  English  and  Germans,  to  desert,  by  giving  them  $60  each, 
citizens  clothes,  a  horse,  guide  to  the  army,  and  50  cents  to 
drink  the  health  of  Santa  Anna.  Dec.  5th  General  Wool 
was  ordered  to  Parras,  east  of  Satillo.  On  the  2nd  of  Dec. 
Brigadier  General  Thomas  L.  Hamer,  of  Ohio,  died  of  dys 
entery,  and  was  hurried  on  the  4th  with  military  honors. 
He  was  very  much  esteemed. 


NAVAL  BATTLES. 


During  this  time,  the  navy  was  engaged  in  blockading 
Mexican  ports.  The  brig  Truxton,  commanded  by  Com 
mander  Carpenter,  was  runagrc»imd  on  the  15th  of  August, 
on  the  bar  off  Tuspan,  and  deserted.  Lieut.  Hunter,  with  a 
boat's  crew,  reached  a  vessel  of  the  squadron,  and  the  other 
officers  and  men  surrendered  to  the  enemy.  They  were 
afterwards  exchanged  for  General  La  Vega  and  other  Mex 
ican  officers.  It  was  impossible  to  save  the  vessel  and  she 
was  burned.  An  attempt  had  been  made  to  capture  Alva- 
rado,  and  failed  as  the  vessels  could  not  cross  the  bar.  Oct. 
15th,  another  attempt  was  made  by  the  steamers  Vixen  and 
Mc'Lane,  three  gun-boats,  Schooners  Nonata  and  Forward, 
and  steamer  Mississippi,  Commander,  Perry.  The  whole 
commanded  b'7  Commodore  Connor.  There  was  a  battery 

4 


gQ  BATTLES    OF   MEXICO. 

at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  mounting  seven  guns.  The  first 
division'consisting  of  the  Reefer  and  Bonita,  towed  by  the 
Vixen,  crossed  the  bar  and  engaged  with  the  battery.  The 
second  division  consisted  of  the  Nonata  Forward  and  Petrel, 
towed  by  the  Mc'Lane.  The  steamer  run  agronnd,  and  the 
others  could  not  be  towed  over.  Commodore  Connor  thought 
it  would  be  useless  to  go  forward  with  one  division  and  re 
tired.  Oct.  16th.  Commodore  Perry  sailed  to  attack.  Tobas- 
co  with  the  Vixen,  Capt.  Sands,  schooners  Bonita,  Ber 
ham,  Reefer,  Sterret,  Nonata,  and  Hazard,  schooner  For 
ward,  Capt.  Nones,  and  steamer  Mc'Lane,  Capt.  How 
ard.  Capt.  Forest  had  a  command  of  about  200  marines 
and  sailors.  He  crossed  the  bar  Oct.  23rd,  and  took,  withuot 
resistance,  Frontera,  capturing  two  steamers,  and  all  the 
vessels  in  port.  Tobasco  is  seventy-four  miles  up  the  river 
from  Frontera.  Our  forces  reached  Fort  Aceachappa,  com 
manding  a  difficult  pass* in  the  river,  Oct.  25th,  and  spiked 
the  cannon,  the  enemy  having  left  the  fort.  The  vessels 
were  all  before  Tobasco  on  the  same  day,  about  noon  The 
town  was  summoned  to  surrender,  but  it  refused.  The 
boats  soon  captured  five  merchant  vessels.  The  vessels 
fired  upon  the  town,  and  Capt.  Forest,  with  his  command 
was  ordered  to  advance  into  the  city.  There  was  a  sbarp 
engagement,  and  the  command  were  ordered  back  at  night. 
At  the  desire  of  the  foreign  merchants  the  town  was  spared. 
On  the  26th  they  left  with  their  prizes.  One,  under  Lieut. 
Parker,  grounded  and  was  fired  upon,  but  Parker  defended 
it  and  got  the  vessel  off,  with  one  man  killed  and  two 
wounded.  Lieutenant  Morris  was  wounded  in  carrying  a 
message  to  Lieut.  Parker,  and  died  November  1st. 

This  expedition  captured  two  steamers  and  seven  vessels, 
Nov.  12th,  Commodore  Connor  sailed  for  Tampico,  with 
a  considerable  part  of  the  squadron,  and  on  the  14th  the  city 


BATTLES     OF    MEXICO.  51 

surrendered  unconditionally,  without  opposition.  Nov.  20th 
Lieutenant  Parker  with  Midshipman  Rodgers,  and  Hynson 
at  night  with  a  small  boat,  and  crew  of  six  men,  rowed  in 
under  the  guns  of  San  Juan  d'Ullao,  and  burned  the  baric 
Creole,  anchored  there.  This  was  very  daring  and  brave. 
Midshipman  Rodgers,  Doct.  J.  W.  Wright,  and  J.  G.  Fox, 
went  ashore  to  reconnoitre  one  of  the  enemies  magazines,  in 
order  to  destroy  it.  After  they  had  gone  a  little  distance 
from  the  boat  they  were  surrounded  by  seven  Mexicans. 
Dr.  Wright  escaped,  but  the  other  two  were  taken  prisoners. 

The  last  of  August  1846,  by  order  of  the  President,  Brig 
adier  General  J.  E.  Wool  concentrated  an  army  (called  the 
"  Central  Division  Army  of  Mexico")  in  Texas,  for  the  pur 
pose  of  moving  against  Chihuahua,  the  capital  of  the  state 
of  the  same  name.  The  command  was  composed  of  the 
1st  Illinois,  Colonel  Hardin,  2nd  Illinois,  Col.  Bissell ;  six 
companies  of  Arkansas  mounnted  men,  Col.  Yell,  a  compa 
ny  of  Kentucky  volnnteers  under  Capt.  Williams ;  two  com 
panies  of  1st  dragoons,  Capt.  Steen  ;  two  companies  2d 
dragoons,  Major  Beall ;  three  companies  of  6th  Infantry, 
Major  Bonneville,  and  Capt.  Washington's  company  of  horse 
artillery,  in  all  2,829.  The  first  column  moved  from  Saa 
Antonio  Sept.  26th,  commanded  by  Colonel  Harney,  and  the 
second  column  marched  Oct.  14th,  under  Col.  Churchill. 

Oct.  29th,  the  command  arrived  at  Monclora,  and  took 
possession  without  resistance.  Here  General  Wool  decided 
to  go  no  farther  towards  Chihuahua. 
The  command  from  Monterey  moved  on  to  wards  San  Luis 
Potosi.  It  was  reported  'that.  Santa  Anna  was  advancing 
upon  Saltillo  and  a  part  of  our  forces  returnee!^  Dec.  18th.  to 
Monterey  and  found  that  the  alarm  was  false. 

At  this  time  Salas  was  president  of  the  Mexican  Congress 


52  BATTLES    OF  MEXICO. 

and  had,  in  his  message,  recommended  a  vigorous  prose 
cution  of  the  war.  , 

Dec.  31st,  the  rear  guard  of  Colonel  May,  in  passing 
from  Labadores  to  Linares,  was  attacked  by  the  enemy  and 
out  off  together  with  the  baggage  train. 

General  Q,uitman  took  possession  of  Victoria  on  the  30th  ? 
without  resistance. 

Just  beyond  San  Pedro,  on  the  way  to  San  Luis  Potosi, 
when  our  men  were  passing  through  a  defile  with  high  moun 
tains  each  side,  a  mine  was  sprung  and  showers  of  stones 
thrown  down  among  us  while  we  were  fired  upon  from  the 
other  side.  The  arrieros  deserted  their  mules  and  the  rear 
guard,  consisting  of  eleven  men,  fled.  Colonel  May  dis 
mounted  twenty  men  and  went  through  the  pass.  Only 
an  occasional  shot  was  fired  at  them.  Eleven  men,  twelve 
horses  and  all  the  baggage  were  lost.  At  Tula,  one  hun 
dred  and  fifty  miles  from  Victoria,  towards  San  Luis  Potosi, 
Generals  Valencia  and  Urea,  had  concentrated,  as  was  re 
ported,  Jan.  6th,  a  large  force. 

The  order  was  issued  January  12th,  1847,  to  proceed  to 
Tampico.  We  set  out  on  the  13th.  As  General  Taylor 
was  about  starting,  he  received  orders  from  General  Scott  to 
send  his  whole  command,  excepting  two  batteries  ot 
light  artillery,  and  squadron  of  dragoons,  to  Tampico, 
where  Scott  would  meet  them  about  the  first  of  February. 
General  Taylor  was  ordered  to  return  to  Monterey  and  re 
main  on  the  defensive.  He  left  immediately,  taking,  in  ad 
dition  to  the  above  named  forces,  the  1st  Mississippi  regiment. 
Thus  Taylor  was  deprived  of  almost  all  of  his  regulars, 
which  blasted  all  of  his  hopes  iri  reference  to  advancing  upon 
San  Luis  Potofi. 

Upon  parting  with  his  old  veteran  soldiers,  General  Taylor 
said : 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 


53 


"It  is  with  deep  sensibility  that  the  commanding  general 
finds  himself  separated  from  the  troops  he  so  long  command 
ed.  To  those  corps,  regular  and  volunteer,  who  have  shared 
with  him  the  active  services  of  the  field,  he  feels  the  attach 
ment  due  such  associations ;  while  to  those  making  their 
first  campaign,  he  must  express  his  regret  that  he  can  not 
participate  with  them  in  its  eventful  scenes.  To  all,  both 
officers  and  men,  he  extends  his  heartfelt  wishes  for  their 
continued  success  and  happiness,  confident  that  their  achieve 
ments  on  another  theatre  will  redound  to  the  credit  of  thair 
country  and  its  arms." 

General  Scott  reached  the  Brasos,  Dec.  28th,  1846  and 
took  the  command  of  the  army.  Gen.  Worth  was  ordered 
to  move,  with  all  the  regulars,  excepting  Washington's, 
Webster's,  Sherman's  and  Bragg's  batteries,  to  Point  Isabel. 

The  force  that  set  out  for  Tampico,  Jan.  13,  arrived  on 
the  23rd.  General  Taylor  and  his  command,  arrived  at 
Monterey  on  his  return  from  Victoria,  the  last  of  Jan.  1847. 
General  Wool  had  established  a  camp  at  therancho.  Tay 
lor  kept  possession  of  Saltillo  and  the  strong  passes  in  ad 
vance  of  it,  and  stationed  his  forces,  at  these  points. 

Jan.  22,  a  scouting  party,  under  Major  Borland  "and 
Gaines,  the  former  of  the  Arkansas  ,  and  the  latter  of  the 
Kentucky  cavalry,  were  surrounded  by  General  Minon 
with  three  thousand  men,  and  captured,  sixty  miles  from 
Saltillo.  Our  men  numbered  sixty-four  privates  and  six 
officers  and  they  were  immediately  marched  off  to  Mexico. 
This  capture  exhibited  great  carelessness  in  the  officers. 
Capt  Henrie,  a  Texan  Volunteer,  escaped  and  reached  Sal 
tillo  in  safety. 

Jan.  27th  Capt  Heady  with  seventeen  Kentucky  volun 
teers  was  captured  by  the  enemy,  while  on  a  scouting 
party,  without  any  resistance. 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 

54 


BATTLE  OF  BUENA  VISTA. 


On  the  5th  of  February,  General  Taylor,   having  heard 
reports  of  the   advancement  of  Santa  Anna  with   a  la^ge 
force,  moved  his  head  quarters  eighteen  miles  south  of  Sal- 
tillo,  to  Agua  Nueva.     By  the  8th  all  of  his  army  except 
ing  Major  Warren's  command,  which  was  left  at  Saltillo, 
concentrated  at  that  point.     The   forces  consisted    of  two 
companies  of  the  1st  Dragoons,  under  Captain  Steen ;  two 
companies  2d  Dragoons,  under  Brevet   Lieutenant-colonel 
May ;    Bragg's    and    Sherman's   batteries,    3d  Artillery ; 
Washington's  battery,  4th  Artillery  ;  one  regiment  Arkan 
sas  cavalry,  under  Colonel   Yell ;  one    regiment  of  Ken 
tucky  cavalry,  under  Colonel  Marshall ;  2d  Kentucky  fool 
under  Colonel  M'Kee ;  1st  Regiment  Mississippi  Rifles,  un 
der  Colonel  Davis ;   3d  Indiana,  under  Colonel  Lane  ;  1st 
Illinois,  under  Colonel  Hardin  ;  2d  Illinois,  under   Colonel 
Bissell ;  and  two  companies  of  Texas  volunteers,  one  corn- 
commanded  by  Captain  Conner,  the  other   a  spy  company, 
commanded  by  the  celebrated  Captain  (now  Major)  M'Cul- 
lough,  in  all  amounting  to  three  hundred   and   thirty-foui 
officers,  and  four  thousand  four  hundred  and   twenty-five 
men. 

It  was  evident  that  there  must  be  a  terrible  conflict  and 
General  Taylor  selected  a  pass  two  miles  in  advance  of 
Buena  Vista,  as  his  position.  There  was  a  valley  about 
three  miles  broad,  with  irregular  surface,  containing  occa 
sionally  hills  and  ravines,  and  was  surrounded  by  high 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO.         .  55 

T'Ui  road  passed  by  the  side  of  a  deep  arroyo, 
which  was  &»f>mable.     On   the   right   side   of  the   road} 
there  were  gveat  Bullies  which  it  was  impossible   to  cross, 
extending  to   tlu    raountams.      On   the  left   of    the  road 
were  steep  ascents  to  the  tops  of  the  spurs   of  the  mountain 
and  there  was  formed  a  plain,   suitable  for   a  battle   field. 
The  choice   of  this  place   showed   much    s-kill   and   good 
judgment  in  the  General.     By  the   21st  of  Feb.  our  forces 
were  stationed  at  this  position.    Col.  Yell  was  left,  with  some 
cavalry  to  cover  the  removal  cf  the  stores  and  were  driven  in 
by  the  enemy.     Our  men  secured  most  of  the  stores   and 
burned  the  remainder.     General  Taylor   went   to   Saltillo 
immediately,  to  make  arrangemerts  for  its  defence,  leaving 
Gen.  Wool  to  command  the  army.     Our   forces   prepared 
for  the  advance  of  the   enemy.     C*:pt.  Washington's   bat 
tery  was  so   placed  as   to   command  die   road.      The   1st 
and    2d    Illinois   regiments    containing   sixteen    hundred 
strong^  and  the  2nd  Kentucky  regiment,  occupied  crests  of 
ridges   in  the  rear  and   to  the  left.     Near  the  base  of  the 
mountain  at  the  extreme  left,  stood  the  Arkansas  and  Ken- 
.  tucky  cavalry     The  Indiana  Brigade  under  General  Lane, 
the  Mississippi  Riflemen,  the  two  squadrons   of  dragoons, 
and  Sherman's  and  Bragg's  batteries  were  held  in  reserve. 
On  the  morning  of  the  22nd  the  enemy  approached,  and 
General  Taylor  returned   immediately  to  camp.     Tremen 
dous  clouds  of  dust  announced  the   advance  of  the  enemy, 
.  who  arrived  in  position,  with  immense  masses,  between    10 
and  11  A.  M.    All  was  silence,  waiting  for  the  attack,  when 
a  white  flag  was  brought  into  our  camp,  by  Surgeon-gene 
ral  Lindenberger,  with  the  following  message  from   Santa 
Anna : 

"  You  are  surrounded  by  twenty  thousand  men,  and  can 
not  in  any  human  probability  avoid  suffering  a  route,  and 


M;  •  BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 

being  cut  to  pieces  with  your  troops ;  but.  as  you  deserve 
consideration  and  particular  esteem,  I  wish  to  save  you 
from  a  catastrophe,  and  for  that  purpose  give  you  this  notice 
in  order  that  you  may  surrender  at  discretion,  under  the 
assurance  that  you  will  be  treated  with  the  consideration 
belonging  to  the  Mexican  character,  to  which  end  you  will 
be  granted  an  hour's  time  to  make  up  your  mind,  to  com* 
mence  from  the  moment  when  my  flag  of  truce  arrives  in 
your  camp. 

"  With  this  view,  I  assure  you  of  my  particular  conside 
ration. 

"  God  and  Liberty.  Carnp  at  Encantada,  February  22d, 
1847.  . 

"  ANTONIO  LOPEZ  DE  SANTA  ANNA. 
"To  Gen.  Z.  Taylor,  comm'g  the  forces  of  the  United  States.1' 

Old  Rough  and  Ready  answered    thus : 

"  Headquarters,  Arrny  of  Occupation,  J 
Near  Buena  Vista,  Feb.  22,  1847.      j 

«  $ir^ — In  reply  to  your  note  of  this  date,  summoning 
me  to  surrender  my  force  at  discretion,  I  beg  leave  to  say 
that  I  decline  acceding  to  your  request.  With  high  respect, 
I  am  ,  sir, 

"  Your  obedient  servant,  Z.  TAYLOR, 

"Maj.  Gen.  U.  S.  Army,  commanding. 
«'  Senor  Gen.  D.Antonio  Lopez  de  Santa  Anna,  ) 
Commander; in-chief,  La  Encantada."          j 

Several  hours  passed  before  any  attack  was  made.  The 
columns  of  the  enmy's  rear  could  be  seen  moving  up. 
There  was  a  slight  demonstration  of  our  right  and  a  section  of 
Bragg,s  battery,  supported  by  the  2d  Kentucky  foot,  were 
detached  to  that  point.  They  bivoucked  for  the  night. 
Ne-ar  evening,  the  light  troops  of  the  enemy  commenced 
upon  our  left,  consisting  of  detachments  of  Arkansas  ami 
Kentucky  cavalry  dismounted,  and  a  battalion  of  Indiana 


BATTLES     OF    MEXICO,  57 

• 

Riflemen,  under  Major  Gorman  and  all -commanded  by 
Colonel  Marshall.  Some  shells  >vere  thrown  into  this 
part  of  our  line,  by  the  enemy  without  effect,  This  skir 
mishing  was  continued  until  after  dark,  with  slight  loss 
on  our  side.  Three  pieces  of  Washington's  battery  tinder 
Capt.  O'Brien,  took  position  to  the  left.  Here  the  troops 
rested  during  the  night  on  their  arms. 

Genral  Taylor  proceeded  to  Saltillo  with  the  Mississippi 
regiment  and  squadron  of  2nd  dragoons,  and  while  there 
about  fifteen  hundred  Mexicans  under  General  Minon  had 
advanced  into  the  valley,  by  a  pass  through  the  mountains, 
and  were  seen  in  the  rear  of  the  city.  They  were  d-esigned 
to  harass  us  and  cut  off  our  retreat.  There  were  in  the 
city,  four  companies  of  Illinois  volunteers  under  Major  War 
ren  of  the  first  regiment.  There  was  a  field-work  command 
ing  the  approaches  and  was  garrisoned  by  Capt.  Webster's 
company  with  two  twenty-four  pound  howitzers.  Two 
companies  of  Mississippi  riflemen,  under  Capt.  Rodgers 
with  one  field-piece  under  Capt.  Shower,  defended  the  train/ 

Jan.  22nd,  during  the  night,  the  enemy  stationed  a  large 
force  of  light  troops  upon  the  side  of  the  mountain,  to  out 
flank  our  left. 

On  the  morning  of  the   23rd,  the  action  was  renewed  at 
this  point.     Col.  Marshall  with  his  riflemen,  re-enforced  by 
three   companies   of  Illinois  volunteers,  under  Major  Trail? 
stood    firm  and  did  considerable  execution   with  their  sure 
rifles.     At  S o'clock  a  large  column  of  the  enemy  moved  up 
the  road  and  threatened  our  centre,  but  Washington's  ener 
getic  battery  kept  them  back.     The  enemy  could  do  noth- 
ng   on  account   of   the   nature  of  the   ground,  where  they 
stood  ;    but-  our  left    being  on  an   extensive   plain,  Santa 
Anna   thought  that   lie  could  outflank   us.      Large  bodies 
of    the    enemy    passed   up    the    ravines    under  cover    of 
the  ridges,  and  concentrated  near  our  left.  The   2d  Indiana 


ro  BATTLES    OF  MKAICO. 

and  2  Illinois  regiments  formed  the. extreme  left  of  out  line 
and  the  former  supported  O'Brien's  three  pieces  of  artillery 
The  commander  on  the  left  was  Brigadier-general  Lane, 
O'Brien  was  ordered  to  advance  towards  the  enemy  with  his 
guns.  The  fight  was- now  very  severe  upon  the  enemy; 
but  they  poured  upon  our  men  volleys  of  grape  and  can- 
nister.  The  action  was  so  warm  that  the  Indiana  regi 
ment  broke,  not  being  able  to  stand  against  such  a  fire, 
and  left  the  artillery  unprotected.  Thus  Capt.  O'Brien  was 
obliged  to  retire  leaving  one  of  his  pieces,  at  which  ev 
ery  man  and  horse  was  either  killed  or  wounded.  The 
cowardly  Indiana  regiment  could  not  be  rallied,  though 
Major  Dix,  Paymaster  U.  S.  Army,  induced  a  few  to  return 
arid  join,  together  with  their  Colonel  Bowles,  the  Missis 
sippi  regiment.  They  were  very  useful  during  the  remain 
der  of  the  day.  Our  left  giving  way,  encouraged  the  enemy* 
and  large  masses  of  them  pressed  forward  and  forced  our 
light  troops  on  the  side  of  the  mountain,  to  retire,  and  ma 
ny  of  them  could  not  be  rallied  until  they  reached  the  de 
pot  at  Buena  Vista.  The  2nd  Illinois  regiment,  to  which 
a  section  of  Sherman's  battery  was  attached,  were  driven 
before  the  enemy. 

The  Mexican  Infantry  and  cavalry  poured  in  so  rapidly 
that  our  rear  was  in  danger.  Thus  far  evidently,  every 
move  went  against  us.  But  General  Taylor  now  arrived 
and  took  a  commanding  position  on  the  elevated  plateau. 
His  presence  was  enough  to  animate  our  troops.  The 
Missssippi  regiment,  under  Davis,  was  ordered  to  the 
left,  and  came  in  contact,  immediately  with  large  portions? 
of  the  enemy,  who  had  turned  our  flank. 

The  struggle  was  severe,  but  in  favor  of  our  jbroops.  The 
2nd  Kentucky,  under  Col.  M'Kee,  with  a  section  of  artil- 
ery  under  Bragg,  had  been  ordered  to  support  our  left. 
These  with  a  part  of  the  1st  Illinois  under  Col.  Hardin 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO.  59 

were  now  fiercely  engaged  with  the  enemy,  and  recovere  d 
to  some  extent,  tl.e  lost  ground. 

The  batteries  of  Bragg  and  Sherman  were  very  effective 
in  the  columns  of  the  enemy,  and  especially  those  who 
were  in  our  rear.  The  Mississippi  regiment  exhibited  grea 
bravery,  sustaining  the  attacks  of  the  enemy  without  flinch 
ing.  The  3rd  Indiana,  under  Colonel  Lane,  and  a  piece  of 
artillery  under  Colonel  Kilburn,  finally  moved  to  their  aid. 
The  Mexican  infantry  and  cavalry  repeatedly  advanced 
with  the  most  determined  impetuosity,  intending  to  force  our 
line,  but  they  were  received  so  firmly  and  warmly  that  they 
were  glad  to  fall  back.  Our  artillery  made  awful  havoc. 
Brevet  Lieutenant  Colonel  May  commanded  the  regu 
lar  cavalry,  and  Captain  Pike's  of  the  Arkansas  cav 
alry.  May,  with  the  Kentucky  and  Arkansas  cavalry,  un 
der  Colonels  Marshall  and  Yell,  were  directed  to  keep  in 
check  the  masses  that  had  gained  our  rear.  The  enemy 
still  were  determined  at  all  hazards,  to  break  our  left.  Oui 
forces  were  pouring  upon  the  enemy  a  terrific  fire  from  dif 
ferent  sections  and  pieces,  under  O'Brien,  Bragg,  Sherman 
Thomas.  Kilburn,  Reynolds,  French  and  Bryan,  forming 
a  long  line.  The  thick  columns  of  the  enemy  were  made 
to  stagger,  fearful  inroads  were  made  in  their  ranks,  and 
they  were  finally,  after  many  desperate  struggles,  obliged 
to  give  way.  Their  success  was  short,  and  their  shouts  of  tri 
umph  were  soon  at  an  end.  Just  as  they  began  to  give  way 
a  little.  Lieutenant  Rucker,  with  hi£  squadron  of  1st  dragoons, 
was  ordered  to  dash  in  among  them,  which  was  done  with 
great  effect.  . 

It  was  feared  that  the  portion  of  the  enemy  in  our  rear 
might  attack  the  train  at  Buena  Vista,  and  Col.  May,  with 
his  command,  and  two  pieces  of  artillery  under  Lieutenant 
Reynolds,  was  ordered  to  that  place.  But,  before  they  arri 
ved,  the  Arkansas  and  Kentucky  cavalry  had  met  the  ene- 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 


my  and  repulsed  them.  They  broke  in  two  columns,  one 
escaped  by  the  ranch,  and  received  a  destructive  fire  from 
the  fugitive  forces  of  a  part  of  Major  Trail's  and  Gorman's 
command,  whom  Major  Munroe  had  reorganized.  The 
other  column  of  the  enemy  gained  the  mountain,  but  re 
ceived  a  terrible  fire  from  the  pieces  under,  Lieutenant 
Reynolds. 

Colonel  Yell  was  killed,  in  the  charge,  at  Buena  Vista,  at 
the  head  of  his  regiment.  Adjutant  Vaughn,  also,  of  the 
Kentucky  cavalry  fell  in  that  engagement. 

A  part  of  the  Arkansas  and  Indiana  troops,  and  Col.  May, 
with  his  command,  kept  in  check  the  enemy's  right.  They 
were  crowded  in  vast  numbers  in  ravines,  and  our  guns  made 
horrid  work  with  them.  Those  who  had  gained  our  rear 
were  now  in  the  greatest  danger.  Santa  Anna  perceived  it 
and  in  his  deceptive  and  cowardly  manner,  sent  a  white  flag 
into  our  camp,  and  asked  General  Taylor  "  what  he  wanted." 
Taylor  immediately  ordered  the  firing  to  cease,  and  sent 
General  Wool,  with  a  white  flag,  to  answer  the  message. 
No  consultation  could  be  had,  as  the  Mexicans  kept  on  firing. 
Santa  Anna  had  gained  time  for  his  forces  to  reach  their 
lines  and  he  cared  no  more  for  the  truce.  This  was  barba 
rous  enough  in  the  Mexican  General.  While  the  enemy 
were  retreating,  they  were  severely  handled  by  our  artillery. 
The  cavalry  under  General  Minon.  were  in  the  road  be 
tween  the  battle  ground  and  Saltillo,  and  it  was  feared  that 
they  would  fall  upon  the  city.  Capt-  Webster  fired  upon 
them  from  the  redoubt,  and  they  moved  towards  Buena 
Vista.  Capt.  Shover,  with  some  volunteers  and  a  piece  of 
artillery,  accompanied  by  a  piece  of  Webster's  battery,  un 
der  Lieut.  Donaldson,  aided  by  Capt.  Wheeler,  with  his  Il 
linois  volunteers,  drove  the  enemy  into  the  ravines,  leading 
to  the  lower  valley.  The  enemy  endeavored  to  charge 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO.  61 

once  or  twice,  out  were  driven  back  every  time  in  confusion. 
Firing  had  now  nearly  ceased;  but  one  struggle  more  was 
to  come.  Santa  Anna,  being  reinforced  by  cavalry,  under 
cover  of  artillery,  ^(iarged  our  line  in  a  most  desperate 
manner,  by  horse  and  foot.  Great  masses  came  rushing  on, 
and  poured  among  us  a  deadly  fire.  The  2nd  Kentucky, 
1st  Illinois,  and  O'Brien,  with  two  pieces,  received  the  se 
verest  part  of  the  attack.  The  infantry  supporting  O'Brien's 
piece  was  routed  and  their  piece  left  in  the  hands  of  the 
enemy. 

Our  batteries,  however,  finally  turned  the  tide.  Their  fire 
was  so  firm,  precise  and  awful,  that  the  enemy  could  not  re- 
sist,  and  fell  back  in  disorder.  Harden  and  McKee,  charg 
ed  the  enemy  with  great  bravery  and  impetuosity.  They 
fled,  but  seeing  the  few  pursuing,  turned  suddenly  and  came 
up  in  vast  numbers.  There  was  dreadful  carnage  on  both 
sides.  We  had  but  a  mere  handful  compared  with  the  en 
emy,  and  our  men  were  again  routed,  and  it  seemed  that  we, 
must  be  beaten.  Brent  and  Whiting  of  Washington's  bat 
tery  covered  their  retreat. 

General  Taylor  looked  on  calmly  and  unmoved,  while 
the  balls  were  flying  all  around  him. 

Bragg's  battery  had  now  reached  the  place  of  attack. 
Bragg  told  his  Captain  to  unlimber  the  piece  and  wait  till 
the  enemy  had  arrived  nearly  to  the  muzzle,  They  rushed 
on  certain  that  they  should  conquer  us ;  but  the  battery 
opened  and  poured  into  their  masses  a  plenty  of  grape.  They 
staggered  aUhe  first  fire,  and  the  second  opened  streets  through 
them  and  the  third  volley  entirely  dispersed  them  and  they 
fled  in  dismay.  Our  loss  was  heavy  in  this  last  struggle. 

In  this  desperate  conflict,  Colonels  Hardin  and  McKeej 
and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Clay,  fell  at  the  head  of  their  regi 
ments.  Our  artillery  turned  the  tide  of  battle  three  times 


62 


BATTLKS    OF    MEXICO, 


during  the  day.  It  was  now  ten  hours  that  the  huttle  had 
been  raging.  The  enemy  did  not  make  another  attempt  to 
force  our  lines,  and  our  troops,  weary,  dropped  upon  the 
battle  ground  to  seek  rest  to  prepare  the^i  for  the  morrow- 
among  the  dead  and  dying,  without  any  fires  to  warm  their 
benumbed  limbs.  The  wounded  were  removed  to  Saltillo  and 
imr  men  prepared  for  an  attack  in  the  morning ;  but  the 
enemy  retired  very  early  to  Agua  Nueva,  leaving  many 
of  their  dead  and  dying.  Brigadier-general  Marshall  made  a 
foiced  march  for  Rinconada  to  reinforce  our  troops  there ; 
but  he  was  too  late  to  participate  in  the  action. 

In  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista,  we  had  two  hundred  and 
sixty-seven  killed,  four  hundred  and  fifty-six  wounded,  and 
twenty-three  missing.  The  enemy  must  have  lost  two 
thousand.  There  were  five  hundred  of  their  dead  left  upon 
ihe  field.  We  had  twenty-eight  officers  killed  and  forty- one 
Abounded. 

What  an  awful  responsibility  rests  upon  somebody  for 
ishering  so  many  innocent  persons  into  the  presence  of  their 
Judge ! 

The  names  of  the  officers  killed  and  wounded  are  the 
following : 

General  Staff:  killed,  Captain  George  Lincoln,  Assis 
tant  Adjutant  General ;  wounded,  H.  W.  Benliam,  1st 
Lieutenant  Engineers ;  F.  S.  Bryan,  brevet  2d  Lieuten 
ant  Topographical  engineers.  1st  Regiment  of  dragoons  : 
wounded,  Captain  E.  Steen.  2d  regiment  of  dragoons : 
wounded,  Brevet  Lieutenant- colonel  C.  A.  May.  3d  Regi 
ment  Artillery :  wounded,  Lieutenant  S.  G.  French.  4th 
Artillery  :  wounded,  1st  Lieutenant  J.  P.  O'Brien.  Missis 
sippi  Rifles :  killed,  1st  Lieutenant  R.  L.  Moore,  2d  Lieut, 
F.  M'Nulty ;  wounded,  Colonel  Davis,  Captains  Sharp 
and  Stockaw,  1st  Lieutenants  Conviii  and  Posey.  1st 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO.        ^  £3 

Regiment  Illinois :  killed,  Colonel  Hardin,  Captain  Za'uris- 
£\e,  and  1st  Lieutenant  Houghton.  2d  Regiment  Illinois ; 
killed,  Captain  Woodward,  Lieutenants  Rountree,  Fletcher 
Ferguson,  Robbinsx  Steel,  Kelly,  Bartleson.  Atherton,  and 
Price;  wounded,  Captains  Coffee  and  Baker,  Lieutenants 
Picket,  Engleman,  West,  and  Whiteside.  Texas  volunteers  •, 
killed,  1st  Lieutetenant  Campbell.  2d  Lieutenant  Leonhard  ; 
wounded  Captain  Connor.  Indiana  volunteers :  Brigade 
Staff;  Brigadier-aeneral  Lane.  2d  Indiana :  killed,  Cap 
tains  Kinder  and  Walker,  and  Lieutenant  Parr;  wounded, 
Captains  Sanderson  and  Osborn,  Lieutenants  Cayce,  Davis, 
Pennington,  Lewis,  Moore,  and  Epperson.  3d  Indiana  • 
killed,  Captain  Taggart ;  wounded,  Major  Gorman,  Cap 
tains  Sleep  and  Connover.  2d  Kentucky  foot;  killed, 
Colonel  M'Kee,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Clay,  and  Captain 
Willis  ;  wounded,  Lieutenants  Barber  and  Napier.  Arkan 
sas  Cavalry  :  killed,  Colonel  Yell,  Captain  Porter :  wounded, 
Lieutenant  Reader. 

A  large  portion  af  officers  fell  showing  their  unconquera 
ble  bravery.  It  was  a  battle  of*  artillery.  General  Taylor 
said, — 

"  The  services  of  the  light  artillery,  always  conspicuous, 
were  more/than  usually  distinguished.  Moving  rapidly  over 
the  roughest  ground,  it  was  always  in  action  at  the  right 
place  and  at  the  right  time,  and  its  well-directed  fire  dealt 
destruction  in  the  masses  of  the  enemy." 

The  General  was  necessarily  much  exposed.  Two  balls 
passed  through  his  clothes.  Our  forces  consisted  of  five 
thousand,  and  hut  four  hundred  and  fifty-three  of  them  were 
regulars.  We  were  not  able  to  follow  up  our  success  for 
the  want  of  more  men. 


fA  .  BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 

Oa  the  26th  General  Taylor  issued   the  following  order : 

"Headquarters,  Array  of  Occupation,  | 
Buena  Vista,  Feb.  26,  1847.  j 

Order  No.  12. 

I.  The   commanding   general   has  the  grateful  task   of 
congratulating  the  troops  upon  the  brilliant  success  which 
attended  their  arms  in  the  conflict  of  the  22nd  and  23rd. 
Confident  in  the  immense  superiority  of  numbers,  and  stim 
ulated  by  the  presence  of  a  distinguished  leader,  the  Mexi 
can  troops   were   yet  repulsed  in  every   effort  to   force  on* 
Jines,  and  finally  withdrew  with  immense  loss  from  the  field. 

II.  The  general  would  express  his  obligations  to  the  men 
and  officers  engaged  for  the  cordial  support   which  they  ren 
dered  throughout  the  action.     It  will  be  his  highest  pride 
;o   bring  to  the   notice  of  the     government  the  conspicuos 
gallantry  of  particular  officers   and  corps,  whose   unwaver 
ing  steadiness  more  than  once  saved  the  fortunes  of  the  day. 
He  would  also  express  his  high  satisfaction  with  the  small 
command  left  at  Saltillo.     Though  not  so  seriously  engaged 
as  their  comrades,  their  services  were  very  important,  and 
efficiently  rendered.     While  bestowing  this  just  tribute  to 
the  good  conduct  of  the  troops,  the  general  deeply  regrets  to 
say  that  there  were  not  a  few   exceptions.     He  trusts   that 
those  who  fled  ingloriously  to  Buena  Vista,  and  even  to  Sal 
tillo,  will  seek   an  opportunity   to   retrieve  their  reputation* 
and  to  emulate  the  bravery  of  their  comrades  who  bore  the 
brunt  of  the  battle,  and  sustained,  against  fearful  odds,  the 
honor  of  the  flag. 

III.  The  exhultation  of  success   is  checked  by  the  heavy 
sacrifice  of  life  which  it  has  cost,  embracing  many  officers 
of  high  rank  and  rare  merit.    While  the  sympathy  of  a 
grateful  country  will  be  given  to  the  bereaved  families  and 


BATTLES    OF   MEXICO. 


65 


friends  of  those  who  nobly  fell,  their  illustrious   example 
will  remain  for  the  benefit  and  admiration  of  the  army. 

By  order,  Major-general  TAYLOR. 

Signed,  W.  W  .S.  BLISS. 

Assistant  Adjutant-general. 

This  order  wiii  be  read  at  the  head  of  every  company. 

By  order : 
Signed,  W.  W.  S.  BLISS. 

e 

It  was  found  that  the  enemy  were  retiring  towards  San 
Luis  Potosi. 

Our  forces  returned  to  Agua  Nueva  on  the  27th.  The 
road  was  strewed  with  dead  and  wounded  Mexicans,  and 
their  army  seemed  to  be  in  a  perfect  state  of  disorganization^ 

Had  it  not  been  for  the  astonishing  bravery  of  our  men, 
in  this  battle,  (5000  against  21,000,)  we  must  have  been 
overwhelmed. 

General  Urea,  with  about  8000  cavalry,  had  cut  off  all 
communication  between  Camargo  and  Monterey,  previous 
to  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista.  A  train  of  waggons,  escorted 
by  thirty  men,  was  attacked  and  captured  Feb.  24tn,  at 
Ramos.  The  wagons  were  burned  and  the  teamsters  dread 
fully  mutilated  and  their  bodies  cast  into  the  flames. 

March  7th,  Major  Giddings,  in  charge  of  a  train  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty  waggons,  was  attacked  near  Ceralvo. 
After  a  severe  struggle,  the  enemy  \vas  repulsed,  but  we  lost 
fifteen  teamsters,  two  privates  of  Ohio  volunteers,  and  fifty 
wagons. 

General  Taylor  returned  to  Monterey  early  in  March 
and  pursued  Urea,  for  a  while  and  drove  Him  over  the 
mountaints.  In  April  six  thousand  volunteers  were 
called  out  by  government  to  re-enforce  the  army.  General 

5 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 

Taylor  was  to  receive  enough  of  them,  to  make,  with  what 
he  had,  about  ten  thousand  men. 

After  this,  nothing  of  much  interest  occurred  in  northern 
Mexico.  The  theatre  of  war  was  changed  to  another  part 
of  the  country.  The  strong  forts  had  been  taken  and  the 
enemy  conquered  in  every  battle. 

General  Scott  had  been  ordered  to  Mexico  by  the  govern 
ment,  Nov.  23rd,  1846,  in  the  following  language : 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,  WASHINGTON,  JVovem&er,  23,  1847 

Sir, — The  President,  several  days  '  since  communicated, 
in  person  to  you  his  orders  to  repair  to  Mexico,  to  take  com 
mand  of  the  forces  there  assembled,  and  particularly  to  or 
ganize  and  set  on  foot  an  expedition  to  operate  on  the 
cJulf  coast,  if,  on  arriving  at  the  theatre  of  action,  you 
yhall  deem  it  to  be  practicable.  It  is  not  proposed  to  con- 
.U'ol  your  operations  by  definite  and  positive  instructions, 
but  you  are  left  to  prosecute  them  as  your  judgment,  under 
a  full  view  of  all  the  circumstances,  shall  dictate.  The 
work  is  before  you,  and  the  means  provided,  or  to  be  pro 
vided,  for  accomplishing  it,  are  committed  to  you,  in  the 
full  confidence  that  you  will  use  them  to  the  best  advan 
tage. 

The  objects  which  it  is  desirable  to  obtain  have  been  in 
dicated,  and  it  isjioped  that  you  will  have  the  requisite  force 
to  accomplish  them. 

Of  this  you  must  be  the  best  judgef  when  preparations  are 
made    and  the  time  for  action  arrived. 
Very  respectfully, 

your  obedient  servant, 

W.  L.  MARCY, 
Secretary  of  War 

Gen  WINFIELD  SCOTT. 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 


67 


Vera  Cruz  is  situated  in  19  degrees  11  minutes  5:2  sec 
onds  north  latitude.  One  portion  of  its  walls  is  washed  by 
the  Atlantic,  and  the  shore  on  the  opposite  side  is  a  dry 
and  sandy  plain. 

General  Scott  sailed  from     New  York,  Nov.   30th    and 
leached  the  Rio  Grande  Jan  1st  1847. 


AMERICAN  FLEET  SAL7JTINO  THE  CASTLE  AT  VERA  CfcUZ 


~0  BATTLES   OF    MEXICO. 

DO 


BATTLE  OF  VERA  CRUZ. 

THE  new  army  was  designated  to  attack  the  city  of  Vera 
Cruz  and  the  Castle  of  San  Juan  de  Ulloa.  The  naval 
squadron,  Binder  Commodore  Conner,  was  to  assist  the 
:and  forces.  The  squadron  landed  at  Anton  Lizardo, 
March  7th.  The  troops,  sent  from  General  ^Taylor,  ar 
rived  in  February,  and  increased  his  army  to  12,000  men. 

DESCRIPTION     OF    THE     CITY    OF    VERA    CRUZ     AND     CASTLE 
OF    SAN    JUAN    DE    ULLOA. 

"Vera  Cruz  is  situated  in  19°  11'  52"  north  latitude. 
One  portion  of  its  walls  is  washed  by  the  Atlantic,  and  the 
shore  on  the  opposite  side  is  a  dry  and  sandy  plain. 

"  The  city  is  small,  but  from  the  regularity  which  marks 
its  laying  out,  it  is  beautiful.  The  streets  are  wide,  straight, 
and  well  paved.  The  houses,  of  which  there  are  one  thou 
sand  and  sixty-three,  are  mostly  two  stories  high,  and  built 
of  the  Muscara  stone,  taken  from  the  sea-beach. 

u  The  fortifications  of  the  city  consist  of  nine  towers 
connected  together  by  means  of  a  stone  and  mortar  wall, 
which,  however,  is  not  very  thick.  The  two  towers  named 
Santiago  and  Conception  are  the  most  important.  They  are 
situated  at  that  portion  of  the  walls  looking  toward  the  cas 
tle  of  San  Juan,  and  are  distant  from  each  other  one  thou 
sand  two  hundred  and  seventy  varas.  The  other  towers, 
including  the  one  called  San  Fernando,  are  almost  equal 
in  shape,  size,  and  strength.  All  of  them  can  mount  one 
hundred  pieces  of  artillery  of  various  sizes ;  and  save  those 
of  the  middle  ones,  their  fires  all  cross  in  front  of  the 


BATTLES    OF   MEXICO.  gg 

guard-houses,  the  external  walls  of  which  form  part  of  the 
walls  which  surround  the  city. 

"  Although  the  port  of  Vera  Cruz  is  the  principal  one  an 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  it  is  very  dangerous  during  the  seasons 
of  the  northers — that  which  is  called  the  bay,  being,  in 
reality,  nothing  more  than  a  bad  roadstead.  Baron  Hum- 
boldt  but  too  faithfully  described  the  harbor  of  Vera  Cruz 
when  he  said,  that  the  only  shelter  it  affords  shipping  is  a 
dangerous  anchorage  among  shoals. 

"  The  castle  of  San  Juan  de  Ulloa  is  unquestionably  the 
most  celebrated  of  all  American  fortresses.  Its  construc 
tion  was  commenced  in  the  year  1582,  upon  a  bar  or 
bank,  in  front  of  the  town  of  Vera  Cruz,  at  the  distance 
of  one  thousand  and  sixty-two  Castilian  varas  or  yards, 
and  it  is  entirely  surrounded  by  water.  The  centre  of  the 
area  occupied  by  this  fortress  is  a  small  island,  upon  which 
Juan  de  Grijalva  landed  a  year  previous  to  the  arrival  of 
Cortes  upon  the  Continent,  and,  at  that  period,  it  acci 
dentally  received  the  name  which  it  retains  to  this  present 
day.  It  seems  that  there  was  a  shrine  or  temple  erected 
upon  it,  in  which  human  victims  were  sacrificed  to  the 
Indian  gods  ;  and  as  the  Spaniards  were  informed  that 
these  offerings  were  made  in  accordance  with  the  com 
mands  of  the  kings  of  Acolhua  (one  of  the  provinces  of  the 
empire),  they  confounded  or  abbreviated  this  name  into 
the  word  Ulloa,  which  they  affixed  to  the  island. 

"  According  to  a  report  made  on  the  17th  of  January, 
1775,  it  was  the  opinion  of  a  council  of  war,  composed  of 
distinguished  officers,  that  this  fortress,  after  all  its  defen 
ces  were  completed,  \vould  require  a  garrison  for  effective 
service,  composed  of  seventeen  hundred  infantry  soldiers, 
three  hundred  artillery,  two  hundred  and  twenty-eight 
sailors,  and  a  hundred  supernumeraries. 


70  BATTLES    OF   MEXICO. 

"  The  exterior  polygon,  which  faces  Vera  Cruz,  extends 
three  hundred  yards  in  length,  whilst  that  which  defends 
the  north  channel  is,  at  least,  two  hundred  yards  long. 
Besides  this,  there  is  a  low  battery  situated  in  the  bastion 
of  Santiago,  which  doubles  the  fire  on  that  channel.  The 
southern  channel  is  commanded  also  by  the  battery  of  San 
Miguel. 

"  The  whole  fortress  is  constructed  of  M adrepora  Jistrea^ 
a  species  of  soft  coral,  which  abounds  in  the  neighboring 
islands.  Its  walls  are  from  four  to  five  yards  in  thickness, 
their  exterior  being  faced  with  a  harder  stone.  It  is  well 

O 

supplied  with  water,  having  seven  cisterns  within  the 
castle,  which  altogether  contain  ninety-three  thousand 
seven  hundred  and  sixty-seven  cubic  feet  of  water.  Its 
full  equipment  of  artillery  pieces  is  three  hundred  and 
seventy ;  but  it  contained  only  a  hundred  and  seventy- 
seven  when  attacked  by  the  French  in  1838." 

A  regiment  of  Louisiana  volunteers,  under  Colonel 
Russey ,  were  wrecked  in  February  near  the  island  of  Lobos. 
They  were  met  by  a  large  force  under  General  Cos  and 
ordered  to  surrender.  They  were  without  arms,  but  Colo 
nel  Russey  delayed  his  answer  until  night,  presenting  at 
the  same  time  a  bold  front.  He  lighted  up  camp  fires, 
left  his  baggage,  and,  by  forced  marches,  reached  the 
American  quarters  at  Tampico. 

The  two  commanding  officers,  immediately  after  landing 
at  Lizardo,  reconnoitred  the  city  in  the  steamer  Petnta, 
and  thought  best  to  land  on  the  beach  due  west'  of  the. 
island  of  Sacrificios.  At  daybreak  on  the  9th,  about 
2,800  troops  were  transferred,  in  each  frigate,  and  pt  Dpor- 
tionate  numbers  in  smaller  vessels,  to  Sacrificios.  A  little 
after  11  A.  M.  the  squadron  moved  off  majestically  The 
day  was  fine,  with  a  gentle  breeze  from  the  south  east,  and 
a  smooth  sea.  The  passage  occupied  between  two  and 


BATTLES    OF   MEXICO.  7J 

Jhree  hours,  and  the  vessels  were  anchcired  without  con 
fusion  .  Gen.  Scott  ordered  the  landing  to  be  commenced 
immediately,  ordering  the  steamers  Spitfire  and  Vixen,  and 
five  gun-boats,  to  form  a  line  parallel  with  and  near  the 
beach,  in  order  to  cover  the  landing  of  our  men  in  the 
surf-boats.  As  the  boats,  65  in  number,  received  the 
troops,  they  assembled  in  a  line,  abreast,  between  the 
fleet  and  the  gun-boats,  and  pulled  for  the  shore,  all  at 
once,  landing  without  resistance.  General  Worth  com 
manded  this  first  line  of  the  army  and  formed  his  men, 
4,500  strong,  on  the  beach  and  neighboring  heights  just 
before  sunset,  and  by  10  P.  M.  an  army  of  10,000  men 
were  on  shore,  without  any  accident  occurring.  All  but 
a  few  companies  had  landed.  The  next  day  the  artillery, 
horses,  provisions,  and  other  materials  were  landed,  and 
the  remaining  troops,  making  more  than  eleven  thousand 
men.  General  Scott  landed  early  in  the  morning,  and 
preparations  were  immediately  made  to  surround  the  city. 
As  our  men  advanced,  some  shot  and  shells  were  fired 
from  the  town  and  castle,  but  without  effect.  At  2  o'clock, 
March  10th,  a  brisk  fire  from  the  enemy  commenced. 
One  of  our  men  had  his  thigh  broken,  and  two  others  were 
wounded.  A  small  detachment  was  sent  out  under  Cap 
tain  Gordon  to  reconnoitre.  He  found  himself,  after  going 
two  or  three  hundred  yards,  near  a  body  of  men  and  hailed 
them.  They  answered  in  English,  and  soon  answered 
again  by  a  volley  of  /bullets,  which  was  returned  by  the 
detachment,  and  the  Mexicans  were  obliged  to  retire  into 
the  town.  At  sunrise,  the  steamer  Spitfire,  Capt.  Tatnall, 
took  position  in  front  of  the  city  and  castle,  and  com 
menced  firing.  She  continued  for  an  hour,  and  the  city 
and  castle  returned  the  compliment.  Soon  after  the 
Spitfire  opened  her  fire,  the  1st  and  2d  divisions  moved  up 
the  beach  towards  the  city  about  a  mile  and  commenced 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 


to  invest  the  place.  Four  or  five  regiments  of  Mexican 
infantry  and  cavalry  appeared  in  front  of  the  city,  half  a 
mile  from  our  men,  and  commenced  firing  upon  us.  One 
of  our  mountain  howitzers  and  some  rockets  were  placed 
on  the  hills.  A  few  shots  were  fired  and  rockets  sent  ; 
but  without  effect.  Captain  Taylor  was  ordered  to  try 
the  six-pounder,  which  caused  the  Mexicans  to  retire  be 
hind  the  hill.  One  Mexican  was  killed. 

General  Worth  was  successful  in  taking  his  position  on 
the  right  of  the  investment  by  11  o'clock.  The  line,  cir- 
cumvallating  the  city,  was  to  run  along  a  chain  of  sand 
hills  about  3  miles  from  the  city,  ranging  from  300  to 
1500  feet  high,  entirely  commanding  the  town  and  fortifi 
cations.  The  heavy  guns  from  the  castle  could  reach  the 
right  wing. 

After  Worth  had  taken  his  position,  General  Patterson's 
division  took  up  its  line  of  march,  with  General  Pillow's 
brigade  in  advance,  in  order  to  form  on  the  left  of  Worth's 
division.  After  proceeding  a  mile,  they  met  the  enemy 
in  a  thick  chaparral.  There  wras  a  smart  fire  for  about 
twenty  minutes.  The  Mexicans  retreated.  Gen.  Pillow 
had  great  difficulty  in  advancing  through  the  chaparral. 
He  proceeded  about  half  a  mile  farther  by  4  P..M.,  and  met 
the  enemy  again,  in  ambuscade.  Their  fire  was  heavy 
upon  our  men,  and  General  Patterson  sent  the  New  York 
regiment  of  Shields'  brigade  to  aid  General  Pillow  ;  but 
only  one  New  York  company  arrived,  before  General 
Pillow  had  routed  the  enemy  by  a  charge.  Only  two  of 
our  men  were  slightly  wounded.  A  body  of  the  enemy 
were  seen  at  a  little  distance,  at  a  house  known  as  a  maga 
zine,  on  the  left  flank  of  Pillow's  command.  A  6-pounder 
was  directed  towards  them,  and  a  few  shots  were  enough 
to  disperse  them.  Towards  sun-down,  Gen.  Pillow  reach- 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO.  73 

ed,  by  great  effort,  one  of  the  highest  points  in  the  rear  of 
the  city,  and  erected  the  star  spangled  banner.  The  bat 
teries  from  the  town  and  castle,  kept  up  a  continued  firing 
till  dark.  One  shell  exploded  in  front  of  General  Worth 
and  staff. 

At  7  A.  M.,  (March  llth)  General  Quitman's  brigade 
was  ordered  to  relieve  General  Pillow  from  the  place  which 
he  occupied  during  the  night.  The  Mexicans,  thinking 
that  our  men  were  deserting  the  heights,  approached  and 
were  met  by  General  Quitman,  who  advanced  to  the  top 
of  the  hill.  A  smart  fire  was  kept  up  for  an  hour. 

Capt.  Davis,  of  the  Georgia  regiment,  with  twenty  rifle 
men,  were  sent  as  skirmishers,  to  move  round  under  the 
hill  and  engage  the  enemy  in  close  quarters.  About  200 
of  the  enemy  advanced  on  him,  and  he  held  them  in  check 
until  Colonel  Jackson,  with  the  balance  of  three  compa 
nies,  and  Col.  Dickerson  and  his  regiment,  came  to  his 
aid.  The  enemy  were  obliged  to  retire,  with  the  loss  of 
several  dead  and  wounded.  We  had  seven  slightly 
wounded. 

At  9  A.  M.,  General  Twiggs,  with  his  mounted  rifles  in 
advance,  moved  up  to  take  position  on  the  left  of  the  line. 
It  was  very  difficult  as  the  cannon  had  to  be  lifted  over 
sand-ridges  by  the  men,  in  many  cases.  The  force  all 
reached  their  destination  by  the  sea-shore,  above  the  town, 
about  sun-down.  Thus  the  city  was  surrounded  by  us, 
our  line  reaching  about  eight  miles.  General  W'orth  occu 
pied  the  right,  General  Twiggs  the  left,  and  General  Pat-  • 
terson  the  centre. 

Our  men  now  com-mcnced  placing  their  heavy  batteries 
in  position  to  open  upon  the  town. 

By  the  22d,  seven  ten-inch  mortars  were  in  battery, 


74  BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 

and  the  others  nearly  ready.  At  two,  P.  M.,  General 
Scott  addressed  a  summons  to  the  Governor  of  Vera  Cruz, 
and  received  an  answer  in  two  hours.  The  Governor 
supposed  that  Scott  ordered  him  to  surrender  the  town 
and  castle  (though  that  was  not  the  case,  as  Scott  was  not 
prepared  to  make  such  a  demand). 

Scott  now  determined  to  open  his  seven  mortars  upon 
the  town.  The  small  vessels  of  Commodore  Perry's 
squadron,  two  steamers  and  five  schooners,  came  within  a 
mile  and  an  eighth  of  the  city  and  opened  a  brisk  fire, 
which  continued  till  9,  A.  Mf  (March  23),  when  the  Com 
caodore  called  the  vessels  away  from  so  dangerous  a  posi 
tion.  By  noon  we  had  ten  mortars  battering  the  walls  of 
the  city.  The  ten  inch  mortars  planted  about  eight  hun 
dred  yards  from  the  city,  were  very  effective.  Our  men, 
thus  far,  from  the  time  of  their  landing  had  only  four  or 
five  men  wounded,  and  one  officer  and  one  private  killed. 
The  officer  was  Capt.  J.  R.  Vinton,  of  the  U.  S.  3d  ar 
tillery.  He  was  killed  in  the  trenches,  March  24th,  at 
ten,  A.  M.  The  naval  battery,  No.  5,  consisting  of  three 
thirty-two  pounders  and  three  eight  inch  Paixhans,  open 
ed  a  terrific  fire,  under  Capt.  Aulick.  The  battery  was 
active  till  two,  P.  M.  We  lost  four  sailors  killed,  and 
Lieut.  Baldwin  was  slightly  wounded. 

March  25th,  battery  No.  4,  consisting  of  four  twenty- 
four  pounders,  and  two  eight  inch  Paixhans,  opened. 

Now,  batteries  1,  2,  3,  4  and  5,  were  shaking  the  whole 
foundation  of  the  city,  by  their  tremendous  fire. 

On  the  evening  of  the  24th,  the  foreign  consuls  signed 

memorial,  requesting  General  Scott  to  grant  a  truce,  so 
that  the  neutrals  and  women  and  children  might  retire 
from  the  city.  Our  heavy  guns  made  dreadful  havoc,  dc~ 


BATTLES    OF   MEXICO.  75 

stroymg  many  women  and  children.  General  Scott  re 
plied  : 

First,  That  a  truce  could  only  be  granted  on  the 
application  of  Governor  Morales,  with  a  view  to  surren 
der  ;  second,  That  in  sending  safeguards  to  the  different 
consuls,  beginning  as  far  back  as  the  13th  instant,  he  dis 
tinctly  admonished  them,  particularly  the  French  and 
Spanish  consuls — and,  of  course,  through  the  two,  the 
other  consuls — of  the  dangers  that  have  followed  ;  third; 
That  although,  at  that  date,  he  had  already  refused  to  al 
low  any  person  whatsoever  to  pass  the  line  of  investment 
either  way,  yet  the  blockade  had  been  left  open  to  the 
consuls  and  other  neutrals  to  pass  out  to  their  respective 
ships  of  war  up  to  the  22d  instant ;  and,  fourth,  he  en 
closed  to  the  memorialists  a  copy  of  his  summons  to  the 
governor,  to  show  that  he  had  fully  considered  the  im 
pending  hardships  and  distresses  of  the  place,  including 
those  of  women  and  children,  before  one  gun  had  been 
fired  in  that  direction. 

On  the  26th,  General  Scott  received  overtures  from 
General  Landero,  on  whom  General  Morales  had  devolv 
ed  the  command,  and  on  account  of  a  heavy  norther,  he 
was  unable  to  communicate  with  the  ships  until  the  27th. 

The  American  Commissioners  were,  Generals  Worth 
and  Pillow,  Colonel  Totten,  and  Capt.  Aulick. 

It  was  finally  agreed  that  the  city  and  castle  should 
surrender  to  us. 

The  following  are  the  terms  of  capitulation  : 

"  1.  The  whole  garrison,  or  garrisons,  to  be  surrender 
ed  to  the  arms  of  the  United  States,  as  prisoners  of  war, 
the  29th  instant,  at  10  o'clock,  A.  M. ;  the  garrisons  to 
be  permitted  to  march  out  with  all  the  honors  of  war,  and 


76  BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 

to  lay  down  their  arms  to  such  officers  as  may  be  appoint 
ed  by  the  general-in-chief  of  the  United  States'  armies,  and 
at  a  point  to  be  agreed  upon  by  the  commissioners. 

"  2.  Mexican  officers  shall  preserve  their  arms  and 
private  effects,  including  horses  and  horse-furniture,  and 
to  be  allowed,  regular  and  irregular  officers,  as  also  the 
rank  and  file,  five  days  to  retire  to  their  respective  homes, 
on  parole,  as  hereinafter  prescribed. 

"  3.  Coincident  with  the  surrender,  as  stipulated  in  ar 
ticle  1,  the  Mexican  flags  of  the  various  forts  and  stations 
shall  be  struck,  saluted  by  their  own  batteries ;  and,  im 
mediately  thereafter,  Forts  Santiago  and  Concei.^on,  and 
the  castle  of  San  Juan  de  Ulloa,  occupied  by  the  forces  of 
the  United  States. 

"  4.  The  rank  and  file  of  the  regular  portion  of  the  pri 
soners  to  be  disposed  of  after  surrender  and  parole,  as 
their  general-in-chief  may  desire,  and  the  irregular  to  be 
permitted  to  return  to  their  homes.  The  officers,  in  re 
spect  to  all  arms  and  descriptions  of  force,  giving  the 
usual  parole,  that  the  said  rank  and  file,  as  well  as  them 
selves,  shall  not  serve  again  until  duly  exchanged. 

"  5.  All  the  materiel  of  war,  and  all  public  property 
of  every  description  found  in  the  city,  the  castle  of  San 
Juan  de  Ulloa  and  their  dependencies,  to  belong  to  the 
United  States  ;  but  the  armament  of  the  same  (not  injured 
or  destroyed  in  the  further  prosecution  of  the  actual  war), 
may  be  considered  as  liable  to  be  restored  to  Mexico  by  a 
definite  treaty  of  peace. 

"  6.  The  sick  and  wounded  Mexicans  to  be  allowed  to 
remain  in  the  city,  with  such  medical  officers  and  attend 
ants,  and  officers  of  the  army,  as  may  be  necessary  to  their 
care  and  treatment. 

"  7.  Absolute  protection  is  solemnly  guaranteed  to  per- 


BATTLES   OF   MEXICO.  77 

sons  in  tne  city,  and  property,  and  it  is  clearly  under 
stood  that  no  private  building  or  property  is  to  be  taken 
or  used  by  the  forces  of  the  United  States,  without  previ 
ous  arrangement  with  the  owners,  and  for  a  fair  equiva 
lent. 

C{  8.  Absolute  freedom  of  religious  worship  and  cere 
monies  is  solemnly  guaranteed." 

At  the  surrender  on  the  27th,  our  army  were  drawn  up 
in  two  lines,  facing  each  other,  and  stretching  more  than  a 
mile.  The  enemy  left  the  city  at  ten  o'clock,  passed  be 
tween  our  lines,  laid  down  their  arms  and  colors  and 
marched  for  the  interior.  General  Worth  superintended 
the  evacuation  and  then  entered  the  city.  Our  flag  wai 
erected  over  the  Plaza  and  saluted  by  the  guns  of  the  city 
and  squadron.  General  Worth  was  appointed  Military 
Governor. 


BATTLE  OF  SIERRA  GORDA. 

GENERAL  TWIGGS*  division  of  our  army  arrived,  within 
three  miles  of  the  position  of  the  enemy,  April  1 1th,  and 
General  Patterson's  on  the  12th.  On  the  16th,  we  had 
six  thousand  men  ready  for  action,  while  the  enemy  num 
bered  from  eight  to  twelve  thousand.  They  occupied 
a  chain  of  works  along  the  road,  the  nearest  of  which  was 
about  a  mile  and  a  quarter  from  General  Scott's  head 
quarters,  The  road  over  which  we  had  to  pass,  was  bar 
ricaded  and  cut  up  in  every  way  to  impede  our  progress. 
Beyond  the  first  fortification  there  are  several  others  com 
pletely  commanding  the  gorge,  through  which  the  road  to 


Yg  BATTLES    OP   MEXICO. 

Jalapa  runs.  There  were  twenty-four  pieces  of  field  ar 
tillery  besides  about  fourteen  heavy  cannon  in  position. 
The  high  and  rocky  ravine  of  the  river  protected  their 
right  flank  and  a  series  of  abrupt  and  apparently  impassa 
ble  mountains  and  ridges  covered  their  left.  A  front  at 
tack,  which  the  enemy  expected  on  account  of  our  bravery, 
must  have  been  fatal  to  us.  General  Scott  outwitted  the 
One  Leg  and  had  a  road  cut  to  the  right,  so  as  to  escape 
the  front  fire,  and  turn  his  position  on  the  left  flank.  A 
deserter  from  our  camp  made  this  known  to  the  enemy, 
and  they  sent  General  La  Vega  with  a  large  force  to  aid 
the  left  flank. 

General  Scott,  on  the  17th  of  April,  to  cover  his  flank 
movements,  sent  General  Twiggs  against  the  fort  on  the 
steep  ascent  in  front,  and  a  little  to  the  left  of  the  Sierra. 
This  expedition  was  commanded  by  Colonel  Hartley,  who 
carried  the  position  under  a  heavy  fire  of  grape  and  musket 
ry.  This  was  an  important  post  gained,  situated  in  front 
and  near  the  enemy's  strongest  fortification.  By  great 
labor,  one  of  our  large  guns  was  placed  upon  the  top  of 
the  fort,  and  blazed  away  at  a  strong  fort  in  the  rear  *,  but 
with  little  effect. 

April  18th,  early  in  the  morning,  our  army  moved  to 
the  attack  in  columns.  General  Twiggs's  division  attack 
ed!  the  enemy's  left  and  carried  the  breast  works  after  a 
slight  resistance,  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  and  com 
pletely  routed  the  enemy  at  that  point.  Pillow's  brigade, 
accompanied  by  General  Shields's,  passed  along  the  Jala- 
pa  road  with  rapidity,  and  took  a  position  to  stop  the  re 
treat  of  the  enemy.  General  Worth  moved  forward  to 
ward  the  left  to  aid  Twiggs.  Twiggs  had  steep  and 
ough  ground  to  pass  over ,  was  constantly  exposed  to 


BATTLES    OF   MEXICO.  79 

the  fire  of  the  enemy  in  front  and  to  the  cross-fire  of  the 
forts  and  batteries. 

The  fight  was  tremendous  for  a  short  time,  and  finally 
the  enemy  gave  way  on  all  sides.  Three  thousand  men 
with  field  and  other  officers  surrendered.  A  large  amount 
of  small  arms,  ordnance  and  batteries  were  taken.  Six 
thousand  of  the  enemy  gained  the  rear  of  our  army  on  the 
Jalapa  road  and  were  pursued.  We  lost  two  hundred  and 
fifty  killed  and  wounded,  and  among  the  latter  was  Gene 
ral  Shields.  The  Mexican  loss  was  about  one  hundred 
more  than  ours,  besides  those  taken  prisoners.  We  cap 
tured  thirty  pieces  of  cannon,  much  ammunition,  and  the 
private  baggage  and  money  chest  of  Santa  Anna,  contain 
ing  twenty  thousand  dollars.  On  the  19th,  Jalapa,  and 
on  the  22d,  Perote,  were  taken  without  opposition. 

Nothing  prevented  our  men  from  being  utterly  destroyed 
but  the  'steepness  of  the  ascent  under  which  they  could 
shelter.  But  they  sought  no  shelter,  and  onward  rushed 
against  a  hailstorm  of  balls  and  musket-shot,  led  by  the 
gallant  Harney,  whose  noble  bearing  elicited  the  applause 
of  the  whole  army.  His  conspicuous  and  stalwart  frame 
at  the  head  of  his  brigade,  his  long  arm  waving  his  men 
on  to  the  charge,  his  sturdy  voice  ringing  above  the  clash 
of  arms  and  din  of  conflict,  attracted  the  attention  and  ad 
miration  alike  of  the  enemy  and  of  our  own  men.  On,  on, 
he  led  the  columns,  whose  front  lines  melted  before  the 
enemy's  fire  like  sp-ow-flakes  in  a  torrent,  and  staid  not 
their  course  until  leaping  over  the  rocky  barriers,  and 
bayone.tting  their  gunners,  they  drove  the  enemy  pell  mell 
from  the  fort,  delivering  a  deadly  fire  into  their  ranks,  from 
their  own  guns,  as  they  hastily  retired. 

General  Scott,  between  whom  and  Colonel  Harney 
there  had  existed  some  coolness3  rode  up  to  the  colonel 


gO  BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 

after  this  achievement,  and  remarked  to  him — "  Colonel 
Harney,  I  cannot  now  adequately  express  my  admiration 
of  your  gallant  achievement,  but  at  the  proper  time  I  shall 
take  great  pleasure  in  thanking  you  in  proper  terms." 

It  was  here  the  enemy  received  their  heaviest  loss,  and 
their  General  Vasquez  was  killed.  A  little  after,  General 
Worth,  having,  by  great  exertions,  passed  the  steep  and 
craggy  heights  on  the  enemy's  left,  summoned  a  strong 
fort  in  the  rear  of  the  Sierra  to  surrender.  This  fort  was 
manned  by  a  large  force  under  General  Pinzon,  a  mulatto 
officer  of  considerable  ability  and  courage,  who,  seeing  the 
Sierra  carried,  thought  prudent  to  surrender,  which  he  did 
with  all  his  force.  General  Shiehls  was  not  so  fortunate 
in  the  battery  which  he  attacked,  and  which  was  com 
manded  by  General  la  Vega.  A  heavy  fire  was  opened 
on  him,  under  which  the  fort  was  carried  with  some  loss 
by  the  gallant  Illinoisians,  under  Baker  and  Benne'tt,  sup 
ported  by  the  New  Yorkers,  under  Burnett.  Among  those 
who  fell  under  this  fire  was  the  gallant  general,  who  re 
ceived  a  grape-shot  through  his  lungs,  by  which  he  was 
completely  paralyzed,  and  at  the  last  account  was  in  a 
lingering  state.  On  the  enemy's  right,  General  Pillow 
commenced  the  attack  against  the  strong  forts  near  the 
river.  The  Tennesseeans,  under  Haskell,  led  the  column, 
and  the  other  volunteer  regiments  followed.  This  column 
unexpectedly  encountered  a  heavy  fire  from  a  masked 
battery,  by  which  Haskell's  regiment  was  nearly  cut  to 
pieces,  and  the  other  volunteer  regiments  were  severely 
handled.  General  Pillow  withdrew  his  men,  and  was 
preparing  for  another  attack,  when  the  operations  at  the 
other  points  having  proved  successful,  the  enemy  conclud 
ed  to  surrender.  Thus  the  victory  was  complete,  and 
four  generals,  and  about  six  thousand  men,  were  taken 


BATTLES    OF   MEXICO. 


81 


prisoners  by  our  army.  One  of  their  principal  generals 
and  a  large  number  of  other  officers  killed.  The  Mexican 
force  on  this  occasion  certainly  exceeded  our  own." 

In  addition  to  the  loss  of  the  enemy  in  killed  and  taken 
they  lost  about  thirty  pieces  of  brass  cannon,  mostly  of 
large  calibre,  manufactured  at  the  royal  foundry  of  Seville. 
A  large  quantity  of  fixed  ammunition,  of  a  very  superior 
quality,  together  with  the  private  baggage  and  money- 
chest  of  Santa  Anna,  containing  twenty  thousand  dollars, 
was  also  captured. 

On  the  same  day  that  the  battle  of  Sierra  Gordo  was 
fought,  a  portion  of  the  American  Gulf  Squadron,  undei 
Commodore  Perry,  captured  the  town  of  Tuspan,  on  the 
Gulf. 

On  the  19th,  the  city  of  Jalapa  was  captured  by  a  de 
tachment  under  General  Twiggs  ;  and  on  the  22d,  Gene 
ral  Worth  entered  the  town  of  Perote.  Both  these  cities 
were  taken  without  opposition ;  and  in  the  latter  were 
found  immense  stores  of  small  arms,  ammunition,  and  the 
large  guns  of  the  city  and  castle. 


BATTLE  OF  CHURUBUSCO. 

GENERAL  SCOTT  remained  inactive  for  awhile  before 
entering  the  capital,  hoping  to  be  re-enforced,  his  head 
quarters  being  at  Puebla,  while  the  Mexicans,  notwith 
standing  their  repulses  and  severe  losses,  were  busy  in 
collecting  another  army  and  fortifying  every  entrance  to 

the  City.  (j?or  representation  of  this  Battle,  see  corer  > 


82  BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 

Aug.  8th,  our  army,  having  received  a  few  re-enforce 
ments,  marched  towards  the  capital,  and  reached  Ayotla 
on  the  12th,  where  there  was  a  strong  fortification  called 
St.  'Pinon.  It  was  reconnoitred  and  found  to  be  very 
strong  by  nature  and  art.  It  was  thought,  that  it  would 
be  hazardous  to  attack  it,  as  was  anticipated  by  the  Mexi 
cans.  Scott  here  again  outwitted  Santa  Anna,  for  lie 
found  a  road  south  of  Lake  Charles,  opening  into  that  from 
Vera  Cruz,  below  Ayotla,  which  would  enable  our  army 
to  pass  around *the  fort;  but  the  march  was  a  very  difficult 
one,  for  heavy  rains  had  filled  the  low  places  so  that  the 
soldiers  were  often  obliged  to  wade.  The  steep  and  rug 
ged  heights  wTere  to  be  crossed  :  and  the  paths  and  gorges 
were  filled  with  immense  stones,  which  had  been  rolled 
in  by  the  enemy.  The  men  became  weary  during  the 
day,  and  the  nights  were  dark  and  wet,  which  added  to 
their  discouragements. 

On  the  17th,  our  advance  arrived  at  San  Augustin,  a 
small  town  about  twelve  miles  south  of  the  capital ;  Gene 
ral  Worth  led  on  his  men  to  take  possession  of  a  hacienda 
near  the  fortification  of  San  Antonio,  for  the  purpose  of 
attacking  that  place.  They  captured  the  village ;  but 
Capt.  Thornton  was  killed  in  taking  a  reconnoissance,  from 
a  heavy  discharge  of  artillery  by  the  enemy.  One  or  two 
of  our  men  were  wounded.  A  squadron  of  artillery  and  a 
battalion  of  infantry  were  near  the  redoubt,  hoping  to 
make  an  attack  in  the  afternoon,  but  a  rain  set  in,  and 
General  Scott  thought  best  to  withdraw  them.  Had  the 
batteries  of  the  enemy  opened  with  energy  upon  this  de 
tachment,  it  would  probably  have  been  obliged  to  retire 
or  been  cut  to  pieces ;  but  fortunately  the  guns  were  si 
lent  all  night. 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 


83 


During  the  night,  the  divisions  of  Pillow  and  Twiggs 
marched  towards  the  strong  works  of  Contreras,  to  be 
prepared  for  an  assault  in  the  morning.  This  was  a  very 
fatiguing  march.  The  darkness  of  the  night,  the  torrents 
of  rain  pouring  down  upon  them,  the  wild  roaring  of  the 
winds,  the  ridges  from  rocks  of  lava  to  pass  over,  the 
denseness  of  the  brushwood,  the  swollen  streams  to  cross, 
presented  difficulties  rarely  surpassed. 

At  eight  the  next  morning,  the  batteries  of  the  enemy 
opened  upon  the  hacienda  of  San  Antonio,  where  General 
Worth  was  posted.  This  cannonading  was  heavy.  The 
air  was  shaken  by  the  heavy  explosions,  while  houses  and 
even  strong  fortifications  were  shattered  to  pieces  and  fell 
in  thundering-  ruins,  beneath  the  showers  of  shot  and 

O  J 

shells.  Almost  all  of  the  streets  were  swept  by  bullets 
and  large  bombs  which  burst  in  the  air,  and  hurled  slugs, 
shot  and,  fragments  among  our  ranks,  making  sad  havoc. 
But  the  Yankees  were  not  frightened  yet.  They  placed 
themselves  behind  walls  and  buildings,  and  calmly,  amid 
this  scene  of  confusion,  prepared  for  action.  Soon  the 
divisions  of  Pillow  and  Twiggs  moved  on  towards  Con- 
treras,  arriving  about  one  P.  M.  General  P.  F.  Smith 
was  ordered  to  march  up  in  front  of  the  enemy's  works, 
and  Colonel  Riley,  to  move  with  rapidity  towards  the 
right,  gain  the  main  road,  and  prevent  any  re-enforcements 
of  the  enemy.  Smith  dashed  forward  under  a  tremendous 
fire  and  secured  a  good  position  for  his  artillery.  Every 
battery  and  gun  on  both  sides  roared  away  writh  horrible 
sublimity  and  actually  shook  the  ground  for  miles  around, 
ana  their  reverberations  rolled  with  grandeur  along  the 
lofty  ridges  of  the  mountains.  The  few  guns  of  our  ad- 
ranced  battery  were  soon  silenced,  and  General  Pierce 
proceeded  to  the  relief  of  General  Smith. 


84 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 


At  this  time,  large  re-enforcements  of  the  enemy  ap 
proached  Contreras,  and  General  Cadwallader  hastened  to 
re-enforce  Riley.  The  contest  was  now  terrific.  Neither 
army  would  yield  an  inch  of  ground. 

At  four  o'clock,  General  Scott  passed  along  the  lines, 
and  was  welcomed  by  an  enthusiastic  shout.  Perceiving 
the  immense  strength  of  the  enemy,  he  ordered  General 
Shields  to  re-enforce  Riley  and  Cadwallader,  and  strength 
en  our  army  in  front  of  the  enemy.  Now  the  battle  ragea 
nigher  still,  and  hundreds  fell  to  rise  no  more.  This  dread 
ful  carnage  was  kept  up  for  six  hours,  when  the  darkness 
of  night  closed  the  scene,  and  the  cannons  ceased  their 
roar.  Our  men  were  disappointed,  as  they  expected  by 
that  time  to  have  been  in  the  "  Halls  of  the  Montezumas." 
They  were  obliged  to  lie  upon  the  cold,  wet  ground,  with 
out  blankets,  to  rest  for  the  night. 

At  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  General  Scott  retired 
to  San  Augustin,  and  Twiggs  and  Pillow  went  at  eleven. 

Scott  and  Worth  set  out  for  Contreras  early  the  next 
morning.  Firing  was  heard,  and  soon  a  messenger  came, 
saying  that  General  Worth  had  carried  the  whole  line  of 
fortifications  at  Contreras.  He  planned  and  executed  the 
undertaking  in  a  skilful  manner  and  with  little  loss.  He 
took  fifteen  hundred  of  the  enemy  prisoners,  including 
Generals  Salas,  Blanco,  Garcia  and  Mendoza.  He  also 
captured  an  immense  amount  of  ammunition  and  camp 
equipage,  and  fifteen  pieces  of  artillery,  among  them  the 
two  taken  from  Capt.  O'Brien  at  Buena  Vista;  seven 
hundred  of  the  enemy  were  killed  and  many  more 
wounded. 

General  Scott  now  sent  General  WTorth  to  attack  San 
Antonio,  while  he  with  a  force  would  go  in  its  rear.  The 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO.  35 

soldiers  passed  over  the  battle-field  of  the  previous  day, 
and  the  scene  which  was  presented  was  enough  to  make 
the  hardy  soldier  shudder  and  feel  sick  in  view  of  the 
horrors  of  war.  Hundreds  lay  covered  with  blood,  stiff 
and  cold  in  death,  while  others  were  uttering  piteous 
groans  and  begged  for  water.  The  streams  actually  run 
with  human  blood.  What  a  shocking  scene  !  How  sur 
prising  that  nations  will  thus  imbue  their  hands  in  each 
other's  blood  ! 

When  the  force  reached  San  Pablo,  another  action  .com 
menced,  and  at  the  same  time  Worth's  cannon  were  heard 
roaring  away  at  Churubusco.  The  flower  of  both  armies 
were  now  engaged  in  terrible  combat.  The  rattling  of  the 
musketry,  the  clash  of  arms,  and  the  deafening  roar  of  the 
cannon  and  the  groans  of  the  dying,  made  the  scene  truly 
awful ! 

Scott  was  in  the  midst  of  danger  encouraging  his  men,v 
while  Worth  and  Twiggs  were  cheering  their  soldiers  on. 
Thus,  one  of  the  severest  conflicts  ever  witnessed  on  this 
continent,  raged  with  increasing  power  for  two  hours. 
Finally  our  forces  gained  full  possession  of  all /the  works, 
and  the  enemy  fled  in  dismay  to.  the  city.  Worth  follow 
ed  them  almost  to  the  gates. 

The  next  morning,  a  detachment  of  our  men  entered 
Chapultepec  without  opposition. 

Soon  after  this,  Santa  Anna  sent  flags,  proposing  a  sus 
pension  01  hostilities.  Negotiations  took  place,  ar.;d  tie 
following  armistice  was  adopted,  August  20th  : 

THE  ARMISTICE. 

The  undersigned,  appointed  respectively,  the  first  thre<? 
by  Major-general  WTin field  Scott,  commander-in-chief  of 


36  BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 

the  armies  of  the  United  States,  and  the  last  two  by  his 
Excellency  D.  Antonio  Lopez  de  Santa  Anna,  President 
of  the  Mexican  Republic,  and  commander-in-cliief  of  its 
armies,  met  with  full  powers,  which  were  fully  verified  in 
the  village  of  Tucubaya,  on  the  23d  day  of  August,  1847, 
to  enter  into  an  armistice  for  the  purpose  of  giving  the 
Mexican  government  an  opportunity  of  receiving  proposi 
tions  of  peace  from  the  commissioners  appointed  by  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  and  now  with  the  Ameri 
can  army  ;  when  the  following  articles  were  agreed  upon  : 
ART.  1.  Hostilities  shall  instantly  and  absolutely  cease 
between  the  armies  of  the  United  States  of  America  and 
the  United  Mexican  States,  within  thirty  leagues  of  the 
capital  of  the  latter  States,  to  allow  time  to  the  commission 
ers  appointed  by  the  United  States  and  the  commissioners 
to  be  appointed  by  the  Mexican  Republic  to  negotiate. 

2.  The  armistice  shall  continue  as  long  as  the  commis 
sioners  of  the  two  governments  may  be  engaged  on  nego 
tiations,  or  until  the  commander  of  either  of  the  said  armies 
shall  give  formal  notice  to  the  other  of  the  cessation  of  the 
armistice  for  forty-eight  hours  after  such  notice. 

3.  In  the-  mean  time,  neither  army  shall,  within  thirty 
leagues  of  the  city  of  Mexico,  commence,  any  new  for 
tification  or  military  work  of  offence'  or  defence,  or  do  any 
thing  to  enlarge  or  strengthen  any  existing  work  or  for 
tification  of  that  character  within  the  said  limits. 

4.  Neither  army  shall  be  reinforced  within  the  same. 
Any  reinforcements  in  troops  or  munitions  of  war,  other 
than  subsistence  now  approaching  either  army,  shall  be 
stopped  at  the  distance  of  twenty-eight  leagues  from  the 
city  of  Mexico. 

5.  Neither  army,  nor  any  detachment  from  it,  shall  ad- 
Tance  beyond  the  line  it  at  present  occupies. 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO.  87 

6.  Neither  army,  nor  any  detachment  or  individual  of 
either,  shall  pass  the  neutral  limits  established  by  the  last 
article,  except  under  a  flag  of  truce  bearing  the  correspond 
ence  between  the  two  armies,  or  on  the  business  author 
ized  by  the  next  article;  and  individuals  of  either  army, 
who  may  chance  to  straggle  within  the  neutral  limits,  shall, 
by  the  opposite  party,  be  kindly  warned  off,  or  sent  back 
to  their  own  armies  under  flags  of  truce, 

7.  The  American  army  shall  not,  by  violence,  obstruct 
me  passage  from  the  open  country  into  the  city  of  Mexico, 
of  the  ordinary  supplies  of  food  necessary  to  the  consump 
tion  of  its  inhabitants,  or  the  Mexican  army  within  the 
city  ;  nor  shall  the  Mexican  authorities,  civil  or  military, 
do  any  act  to  obstruct  the  passage  of  supplies  from  the 
city  or  country,  needed  by  the  American  army. 

8.  All  American  prisoners  of  war  remaining  in  the  hands 
of  the  Mexican  army,  and  not  heretofore  exchanged,  shall 
immediately,  or  as  soon  as  practicable,  be  restored  to  the 
American  army,  against  a  like  number,  having  regard  to 
rank,   of  Mexican  prisoners  captured   by  the  American 
army.     • 

9.  All  American  citizens  who  were  established  in  the 
city  of  Mexico  prior  to  the   existing  war,  and  who  have 
since  been  expelled  from  that  city,   shall  be  allowet^  to 
return  to  their  respective  business  or  families  therein,  with 
out  delay  or  molestation. 

10.  The  better  to  enable,  the  belligerent  armies  to  exe 
cute  these  articles,  and  to  favor  the  great  object  of-  peace, 
it  is  further  agreed  between  the  parties,  that  any  courier 
with  despatches  that  either  army  shall  desire  to  send  along 
the  line  from  the  city  of  Mexico  or  its  vicinity,  to  and  from 
Vera  Cruz,  shall  receive  a  safe  conduct  from  the  com 
mander  of  the  opposing  army. 


£g  BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 

11.  The  administration  of  justice  between  Mexicans, 
according  to  the  general  and  state  constitutions  and  laws, 
by  the  local  authorities  of  the  towns  and  places  occupied 
by  the  American  forces,  shall  not  be  obstructed  in  any 
manner. 

12.  Persons  and   property  shall   be  respected   in   the 
towns  and  places  occupied  by  the  American  forces.     No 
person  shall  be  molested  in  the  exercise  of  his  profession  \ 
nor  shall  the  services  of  any  one  be  required  without  his 
consent.     In  all  cases  where  services  are  voluntarily  ren 
dered,  a  just  price  shall  be  paid,  and  trade  remain  unmo 
lested. 

13.  Those  wounded  prisoners  who  may  desire  to  remove 
to  some  more  convenient  place,  for  the  purpose  of  being 
cured  of  their  wounds,  shall  be  allowed  to  do  so  without 
molestation,  they  still  remaining  prisoners. 

14.  The  Mexican  medical  officers  who   may  wish  to 
attend  the  wounded  shall  have  the  privilege  of  doing  so, 
if  their  services  be  required. 

15.  For  the  more  perfect  execution  of  this  agreement, 
two  commissioners  shall  be  appointed,  one  by  each  party, 
who,  in  case  of  disagreement,  shall  appoint  a  third. 

16.  This  convention  shall  have  no  force  or  effect,  unlesr 
approved  by  their  excellencies,  the  commanders  respec 
tively  of  the  two  armies,  within  twenty-four  hours,  reckon 
ing  from  the  sixth  hour  of  the  23d  day  of  August,  1847. 

A.  QUITMAN,  Maj.  Gen.  U.  S.  A. 
PERSIFOR  F.  SMITH,  Brig.  Gen. 
FRANKLIN  PIERCE,  Brig.  Gen.  U*  S.  Jl. 
IGNACIO  DE  MARA  Y  VILLAMIL. 
BENITO  QUIJANO. 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO.  gg 

It-  is  believed  that  the  whole  force  of  the  Mexicans,  in 

these  brilliant  engagements,  was  about  thirty-two  thou 
sand  men.  They  lost  between  five  and  six  thousand,  in 
cluding  thirteen  generals  and  forty-five  pieces  of  cannon. 
Our  army  consisted  of  seven  thousand,  eleven  hundred  of 
whom  were  killed  or  wounded.  What  a  terrible  slaugh 
ter  ! 

After  the  armistice  was  agreed  upon,  various  meetings 
took  place  between  Mr.  Trist,  the  American  minister,  and 
Mexican  Commissioners,  and  endeavors  were  made  to  ef 
fect  a  treaty  of  peace,  until  September  2d,  when  Trist 
handed  in  his  ultimatum  in  reference  to  the  boundary  line, 
and  the  Commissioners  were  to  meet  again  on  the  16th. 

Some  infractions  of  the  truce  were  made  by  the  enemy^ 
in  reference  to  our  supplies  from  the  city ;  but  the  Mexi 
cans  apologized. 

It,appears  that  as  soon  as  the  propositions  of  Trist  were 
considered  in  a  grand  council  of  ministers  and  others., 
Santa  Anna,  on  the  4th  and  5th.,  without  giving  any  no 
tice  to  General  Scott,  commenced  again  fortifying  the 
city,  directly  in  opposition  to  the  armistice.  Scott  imme 
diately  sent  him  a  note,  which  was  answered  in  a  false 
and  impudent  manner. 

Our  arrangements  were  delayed  more  than  two  weeks 
bv  the  armistice.  It  is  probable  that  Santa  Anna  only 
entered  into  it  for  the  mirpose  of  gaining  rime. 


90 


BATTLES    OF    MLXICO. 


BATTLE  OF  MEXICO. 


SEPT.  7th,  General  Scott  began  to  reconnoitre  the  dif 
ferent  approaches  to  the  city  within  his  reach.  In  the 
afternoon,  a  large  body  of  the  enemy  were  seen 
around  the  Molinos  del  Rey  (Mills),  about  a  mile  and  a 
third  from  Tucubaya,  the  head-quarters  of  our  army. 
These  mills  were  repositories  of  ammunition,  and  there 
was  a  foundry  there  for  casting  cannon.  There  was  a 
formidable  castle  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy  on  the  heights 
of  Chapultepec,  between  the  mills  and  the  gates  of  the 
capital.  There  were  eight  city  gates  strongly  fortified. 
It  was  impossible  to  stop  communication  between  the 
mills  and  the  capital,  without  first  taking  the  castle.  Pre 
paratory  to  storming  it,  it  was  thought  best  to  capture  the 
mills.  Accordingly,  on  the  8th,  General  Worth's  divi 
sion,  re-enforced  by  Cadwallader's  brigade,  Pillow's  divi 
sion,  three  squadrons  of  dragoons  under  Major  Sumner, 
and  some  heavy  guns  of  the  siege  train  under  Capt.  Hu- 
ger  of  the  ordnance,  and  Capt.  Drum  of  the  7th  artillery, 
undertook  the  enterprise.  They  moved  towards  the  ene 
my  and  soon  met  them.  There  was  much  energy  mani 
fested  on  both  sides.  The  enemy  several  times  were  re- 
enforced,  and  the  action  becoming  much  more  general 
than  was  expected,  General  Scott  called  to  our  aid  from 
the  distance  of  three  mileSj  Gen.  Pillow,  with  his  remain 
ing  brigade  (Pierce's),  and  then  Riley's  brigade  of  Twiggs' 
division.  These  forces  approached  with  great  rapidity  ; 
but  the  victory  was  won  just  as  General  Pierce  reached 
the  ground  and  placed  his  command  between  Worth's  di 
vision  and  the  retreating  enemy.  Thus  again  were  our 


BATTLES   OF   MEXICO.  9 

forces  victorious.  Various  daring  reconnoisances  now 
took  place,  of  the  castle  and  approaches  to  the  city.  The 
latter  stands  on  a  slight  swell  of  ground,  near  the  centre 
of  an  irregular  basin,  and  is  girdled  with  a  ditch  in  its 
greater  extent — a  navigable  canal  of  great  breadth  and 
depth — very  difficult  to  bridge,  in  the  presence  of  an  ene 
my,  having  eight  entrenches  or  gates,  over  arches — each 
of  which  was  defended  by  a  system  of  strong  works  that 
seemed  to  require  nothing  but  some  men  and  guns  to  be 
impregnable. 

Outside  and  within  the  cross-fire  of  those  gates,  to  the 
south,  are  other  obstacles  but  little  less  formidable.  All 
approaches'  near  the  city  were  over  elevated  causeways, 
cut  in  many  places  (to  oppose  us)  and  flanked  on  both 
sides,  by  ditches  also  of  unusual  dimensions.  The  nume 
rous  cross-roads  were  flanked,  in  like  manner,  having 
bridges  at  the  intersections,  recently  broken.  The  mead 
ows  thus  checked,  were,  moreover,  in  many  spots,  under 
'Water  or  marshy. 

After  close  observation,  it  was  decided,  on  the  llth,  to 
move  round  to  the  south-west  and  weet  part  of  the  capital, 
believing  that  the  approaches  would  present  less  formida 
ble  obstacles.  Accordingly,  Scott  ordered  Quitman's  di 
vision  from  Coyoacan,  to  join  Pillow  by  daylight,  before 
the  southern  gates,  and  that  they  should  by  night,  proceed 
(two  miles)  to  join  Scott  at  Tucubaya,  where  he  was  quar 
tered  with  Worth's  division.  Twiggs,  with  Riley's  brigade* 
and  Captains  Taylor's  and  Steptoe's  field  batteries — the 
latter  12-pounders — was  left  in  front  of  those  gates — to 
manoeuvre,  to  threaten,  or  to  make  false  attacks,  in  order 
to  occupy  and  deceive  the  enemy.  Twiggs'  other  brigade 
(Smith's)  was  left  at  supporting  distance,  in  the  rear,  at 


02  BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 

San  Angel,  till  the  morning  of  the  13th,  and  also  to  sup 
port  our  general  depot  at  Miscoaque.  The  stratagem 
against  the  south  was  admirably  executed  throughout  the 
12th,  and  down  to  the  afternoon  of  the  13th,  when  it  was 
too  late  for  the  enemy  to  recover  from  thft  effects  of  his 
delusion. 

The  first  step  in  the  new  movement  was  to  carry  the 
Castle  of  Chapultepec.  Besides  a  numerous  garrison, 
here  was  the  military  college  of  the  Republic  with  a  large 
number  of  sub-lieutenants  and  other  students.  Those 
works  were  within  direct  gun-shot  of  the  village  of  Tucu- 
baya,  and  until  carried,  we  could  not  approach  the  city  on 
the  west  without  making  a  circuit  too  wide  and  too  haz 
ardous. 

During  the  same  night  (that  of  the  llth)  heavy  batteries 
were  established.  No.  1,  on  the  right,  under  the  com 
mand  of  Capt.  Drum,  4th  artillery  (relieved  late  next  day, 
for  some  hours,  by  Lieut.  Andrews  of  the  3d),  and  No.  2, 
commanded  by  Lieut.  Huger,  ordnance — both  supported 
by  Quitman's  division.  Nos.  3  and  4,  on  the  opposite  side, 
supported  by  Pillow's*  division,  were  commanded,  the  for 
mer  by  Capt.  Brooks  and  Lieut.  S.  S.  Anderson,  2d  artil 
lery,  alternately,  and  the  latter  by  Lieut.  Stone,  ordnance. 

The  bombardment  and  cannonade,  under  the  direction 
of  Capt.  Huger,  were  commenced  early  in  the  morning  of 
the  12th,  and  before  night  a  good  impression  had  been 
made  on  the  castle  and  its  outworks. 

Pillow  and  Quitman  had  been  in  position  since  early  in 
the  night  of  the  llth.  In  the  morning,  Worth  was  order 
ed  to  hold  his  division  in  reserve,  near  the  foundry,  to 
support  Pillow  ;  and  Brigadier  General  Smith,  of  Twiggs' 
division,  had  just  arrived  with  his  brigade,  from  Piedad, 


BATTLES   OF   MEXICO.  93 

[2  miles]  to  support  Quitraan.  Twiggs'  guns,  before  the 
southern  gates,  again  reminded  us,  as  the  day  before,  that 
he,  with  Riley's  brigade,  and  Taylor's  and  Steptoe's  bat- 
teries,  was  in  activity,  threatening  the  southern  gates,  and 
there  holding  a  great  part  of  the  Mexican  army  on  the  de 
fensive. 

Worth's  division  furnished  Pillow's  attack  with  an 
assaulting  party  of  some  250  volunteer  officers  anfl  men, 
under  Capt.  McKenzie,  of  the  2d  artillery,  and  Twiggs'  di 
vision  supplied  a  similar  one,  commanded  by  Captain 
Casey,  2d  infantry,  to  Quitman.  Each  of  those  little 
columns  was  furnished  with  scaling  ladders. 

The  signal  for  the  attack  was  to  be  the  momentary  ces 
sation  of  fire  on  the  part  of  our  heavy  batteries.  About 
8  o'clock  A.  M.,  of  the  13th,  Scott  sent  to  Pillow  and 
Quitman,  with  notice  that  the  concerted  signal  was  about 
to  be  given. 

Both  columns  now  advanced.  The  batteries  threw  shots 
and  shells  upon  the  enemy  over  the  heads  of  our  men,  with 
good  effect. 

Major  General  Pillow's  approach,  on  the  west  side,  lay 
through  an  open  grove,  filled  with  sharp  shooters,  who 
were  speedily  dislodged  ;  when,  being  up  hill  with  the  front 
of  the  attack,  and  emerging  into  open  space,  at  the  foot  of 
a  rocky  acclivity,  that  gallant  leader  was  struck  down  by 
an  agonizing  wound. 

The  immediate  command  devolved  on  General  Cadwal- 
lader.  On  a  previous  call  of  Pillow,  Worth  had  just  sent 
him  a  reinforcement,  Col.  Clark's  brigade. 

The  broken  declivity  was  still  to  be  ascended  and  a 
strong  redoubt  midway  to  be  carried,  before  reaching  the 
castle  on  the  heights.  The  advance  of  ottr  men,  though 


94  BATTLES   OF   MEXICO. 

necessarily  slow,  was  unwavering,  over  rocks,  chasms  and 
mines,  and  under  the  hottest  fire  of  cannon  and  musketry. 

The  enemy  were  steadily  driven  from  shelter  to  shelter. 
— The  retreat  allowed  not  time  to  fire  a  single  mine,  with 
out  the  certainty  of  blowing  up  friend  and  foe.  Those, 
who,  at  a  distance,  attempted  to  apply  matches  to  the  long 
trains  were  shot  down  by  our  men. 

There  was  death  below  as  well  as  above  ground.  At 
length  the  ditch  and  wall  of  the  main  work  were  reached ; 
t;he  scaling  ladders  were  brought  up  and  planted  by  the 
storming  parties ;  some  of  the  daring  spirits  first  in  the 
assault  were  cast  down — killed  or  wounded  ;  but  a  lodg 
ment  was  soon  made  ;  streams  of  heroes  followed ;  all 
opposition  was  overcome,  and  several  of  our  regimental 
colors  flung  out  from  the  upper  walls,  amidst  long-con- 
I  inued  shouts  and  cheers,  which  sent  dismay  into  the  capi- 
lal.  No  scene  could  have  been  more  animating. 

General  Quitman,  supported  by  Generals  Shields  and 
Smith,  [P.  F.]  his  other  officers  and  men,  was  up  with  the 
\>art  assigned  him.  Simultaneously  with  the  movement 
on  the  west,  he  approached  the  southeast  of  the  same 
works  over  a  causeway  with  cuts  and  batteries,  and  de- 
tended  by  an  army  strongly  posted  outside,  to  the  east  of 
the  works.  Those  formidable  obstacles  Quitman  had  to 
face,  with  but  little  shelter  for  his  troops  or  space  for  man- 
03uvring.  Deep  ditches,  flanking  the  causeway,  made 
it  difficult  to  cross  on  either  side  into  the  adjoining  mead 
ows,  and  these  again  were  intersected  by  other  ditches. 
Smith  and  his  brigade  made  a  sweep  to  the  right,  in  order 
to  present  a  front  against  the  enemy's  line  (outside),  and 
to  turn  into  intervening  batteries,  near  the  foot  of  Chapul- 
tepec.  This  movement  was  also  intended  to  support 


BATTLES    OF   MEXICO.  95 

Quitman's  storming  parties,  both  on  the  causeway.  The 
first  of  these,  furnished  by  Twiggs'  division,  was  com 
manded  in  succession  by  Capt.  Casey,  2d  infantry,  and 
Capt.  Paul,  7th  infantry,  after  Casey  had  been  severely 
wounded  ;  and  the  second,  under  Major  Twiggs,  marine 
corps,  killed,  and  then  Capt.  Miller,  2d  Pennsylvania  vo 
lunteers.  The  storming  party,  now  commanded  by  Capt. 
Paul,  seconded  by  Captain  Roberts  of  the  rifles,  Lieut- 
Stewart,  and  others  of  the  same  regiment,  Smith's  brigade, 
carried  the  two  batteries  in  the  road,  took  some  guns,  with 
many  prisoners,  and  drove  the  enemy  posted  behind  in 
support.  The  New  York  and  South  Carolina  volunteers 
(Shields'  brigade)  and  the  2d  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  all 
on  the  left  of  Quitman's  line,  together  with  portions  of  hi&; 
storming  parties,  crossed  the  meadows  hi  front,  under  a 
heavy  fire,  and  entered  the  outer  enclosure  of  Chapultepec, 
just  in  time  to  join  in  the  final  assault  from  the  west. 

Generals  Pillow,  Quitman,  Shields,  Smith,  and  Cadwal- 
iader,  distinguished  themselves  in  these  brilliant  operations* 
Also  Colonel  Andrews,  Lieut.  Col.  Johnstone,  Majoi 
Caldwell.  Captains  Barnard  and  Biddle. 

These  operations  all  occurred  on  the  west,  southeast, 
and  heights  of  Chapultepec.  To  the  north,  and  at  th« 
base  of  the  mound,  inaccessible  on  that  side,  the  llth  in 
fantry,  under  Lieut.  Col.  Hebert,  the  14th,  under  Col. 
Trousdale,  and  Capt.  Magruder's  field  battery,  1st  artillery 
— one  section  advanced  under  Lieut.  Jackson  all  of  Pil 
low's  division — had,  at  the  same  time,  some  spirited  affairs 
against  superior  numbers,  driving  the  enemy  from  a  battery 
in  the  road,  and  capturing  a  gun.  Col.  Trousdale,  the 
commander,  though  twice  wounded,  continued  on  duty 
until  the  heights  were  carried. 


„,,  BATTLES    OF    MFXTCO; 

96 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  13th,  Scott  ordered  Worth 
to  support  the  movement  of  Pillow  from  our  left.  The 
latter  soon  called  for  that  entire  division,  standing  momen 
tarily  in  reserve,  and  Worth  sent  him  Col.  Clark's  brigade. 
The  enemy  in  the  road  in  front  of  Quitman's  right,  was 
receiving  reinforcements  from  the  city — less  than  a  mile 
and  a  half  to  the  east— -and  Worth,  on  our  opposite  flank, 
was  ordered  to  return  to  Chapultepec  with  his  division,  and 
to  proceed  cautiously  by  the  road  at  its  northern  base,  in 
order,  if  not  met  by  very  superior  numbers,  to  threaten  or 
to  attack,  in  rear,  that  body  of  the  enemy. 

Worth  promptly  advanced  with  his  remaining  brigade 
—Col.  Garland's— Lieut.  Col.  C.  F.  Smith's  light  batta 
lion,  Lieut.  Col.  Duncan's  squadrons  of  dragoons,  under 
Major  Sunnier. 

Having  turned  the  forest  on  the  west,  and  arriving  op 
posite  to  the  north  centre  of  Chapultepec,  Worth  came  up 
with  the  troops  in  the  road,  under  Col.  Trousdale,  and 
aided  by  a  flank  movement  of  a  part  of  Garland's  brigade 
in  taking  the  one-gun  breastwork,  then  under  the  fire  of 
Lieut.  Jackson's  section  of  Captain  Magruder's  field  bat 
tery.  Continuing  to  advance,  this  division  passed  Cha 
pultepec,  attacking  the  right  of  the  enemy's  line,  resting 
on  that  road,  about  the  moment  of  the  general  retreat  con 
sequent  upon  the  capture  of  the  formidable  castle  and  its 
outworks. 

There  are  two  routes  from  Chapultepec  to  the  capital — 
the  one  on  the  right  entering  the  same  gate,  Belen,  with 
the  road  from  the  south,  via  Piedad ;  and  the  other  ob 
liquing  to  intersect  the  great  western,  or  San  Cosme  road, 
in  a  suburb  outside  of  the  gate  of  San  Cosme. 

Each  of  these  routes  (an  elevated  causeway)  presents 


BATTLES    OP   MEXICO.  97 

3  rlouble  roadway  on  the  sides  of  an  aqueduct  of  strong 
masonry,  and  great  height,  resting  on  open  arches  and 
massive  pillars,  which,  together,  afford  fine  points  both 
for  attack  and  iefence.  The  sideways  of  both  aqueducts 
are,  moreover,  defended  by  many  strong  breastworks  at 
the  gates,  and  before  reaching  them. 

Worth  and  Quitman  were  prompt  in  pursuing  the  re 
treating  enemy — the  former  by  the  San  Cosme  aqueduct, 
and  the  latter  along  that  of  Belen.  Each  had  now  ad 
vanced  some  hundred  yards.  The  enemy  fled  in  dismay. 

Scott  now  despatched  from  Chapultepec — first  Clarke's 
brigade,  and  then  Cadwallader's,  to  the  support  of  Worth, 
and  gave  orders  that  the  necessary  heavy  guns  should 
follow.  Pierce's  brigade  was,  at  the  same  time,  sent  to 
Quitman,  and,  in  the  course  of  the  afternoon,  some  ad 
ditional  siege  pieces  were  added  to  his  train.  Scotl 
joined  the  advance  of  Worth,  within  the  suburb,  and 
beyond  the  turn  at  the  junction  of  the  aqueduct  with  the 
great  highway  from  the  west,  to  the  gate  of  San  Cosme. 

At  this  junction  of  roads,  we  first  passed  one  of  those 
formidable  systems  of  city  defences  spoken  of  above,  and 
it  had  not  a  gun  !  ^. 

W  u.'       ^  T  '    i~      l  l  "™C*»«rUBRAR* 

Within  those  disgarnished  works  our  troops  were  en 
gaged  in  a  street  fight  against  the  enemy  posted  in  gardens, 
at  windows,  and  on  house-tops — all  flat,  with  parapets. 
Worth  ordered  forward  the  mountain  howitzers  of  Cad 
wallader's  brigade,  preceded  by  skirmishers  and  pioneers, 
with  pickaxes  and  crowbars,  to  force  windows  and  doors, 
and  burrow  through  walls.  The  assailants  were  soon  in 
an  equality  of  position  fatal  to  the  enemy.  By  8  o'clock 
in  the  evening  Worth  had  carried  two  batteries  in  this 
suburb.  He  here  posted  guards  and  sentinels,  and  placed. 


€)g  BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 

his  troops  under  shelter  for  the  night.  There  was  but 
one  more  obstacle — the  San  Cosme  gate  (custom  house}—- 
between  him  and  the  great  square  in  front  of  the  cathedral 
and  palace — the  heart  of  the  city  ;  and  that  barrier,  it  was 
known,  could  not,  by  daylight,  resist  our  siege  guns  thirty 
minutes. 

Scott  had  gone  back  to  the  foot  of  Chapultepec,  the 
point  from  which  the  two  aqueducts  begin  to  diverge,  some 
Vours  earlier,  in  order  to  be  near  that  new  depot,  and  in 
*asy  communication  with  Quitman  and  Twiggs,  as  well  as 
vith  Worth. 

General  Scott  ordered  all  detachments  and  stragglers  to 
.heir  respective  corps,  then  in  advance;  sent  to  Quitman 
additional  siege  guns,  ammunition,  entrenching  tools  ;  di 
rected  Twiggs'  remaining  brigade  (Riley's)  from  Piedad, 
to  support  Worth,  and  Captain  Steptoe's  field  battery, 
also  at  Piedad,  to  rejoin  Quitman's  division, 

Quitman,  supported  by  Shields  and  Smith — Shields 
badly  wounded  at  Chapultepec  and  refusing  to  retire — as 
well  as  by  all  the  officers  and  men  of  the  column — con 
tinued  to  press  forward  under  flank  and  direct  fires;  car 
ried  an  intermediate  battery  of  two  guns,  and  then  the 
Belen  or  South- Western  gate,  before  two  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  but  not  without  severe  loss,  increased  by  his 
steady  maintenance  of  that  position. 

Here,  of  the  heavy  battery — Capt.  Drum  and  Lieut. 
Benjamin  were  mortally  wounded,  and  Lieut  Porter,  its 
third  in  rank,  slightly.  Lieuts.  J.  B.  Moragne  and  Wm. 
Canty,  of  the  South  Carolina  volunteers,  also  of  high  merit, 
feJl  on  the  same  occasion — besides  many  of  our  bravest 
non-commissioned  officers  and  men. 

Quitman,  within  the  city — adding  several  new  defences 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO.  gg 

to  the  position  he  had  won,  and  sheltering  his  corps  as 
well  as  practicable — now  awaited  the  return  of  daylight, 
under  the  guns  of  the  formidable  citadel  yet  to  be  sub 
dued. 

At  about  four  o'clock  next  morning  (Sept.  14),  a  depu 
tation  of  the  ayuntamiento  (city  council)  waited  on  Gene 
ral  Scott  to  report  that  the  federal  government  and  the 
army  of  Mexico  had  fled  from  the  capital  some  three  hours 
before,  and  to  demand  terms  of  capitulation  in  favor  of  the 
church,  the  citizens,  and  the  municipal  authorities.  Scott 
promptly  replied  that  he  would  sign  no  capitulation ;  that 
the  city  had  been  virtually  in  our  possession  from  the 
time  of  the  lodgments  effected  by  Worth  and  Quitman 
the  day  before  ;  that  he  regretted  the  silent  escape  of  the 
Mexican  army  ;  that  he  should  levy  upon  the  city  a  mo 
derate  contribution,  for  special  purposes ;  and  that  the 
American  army  should  come  under  no  terms,  not  self- 
imposed — such  only  as  its  own  honor,  the  dignity  of  the 
United  Slates,  and  the  spirit  of  the  age  should,  in  his 
opinion,  imperiously  demand  and  impose. 

At  the  termination  of  the  interview  with  the  city  depu 
tation,  Worth  and  Quitman  were  ordered  to  advance  slowly 
and  cautiously  (to  guard  against  treachery)  towards  the 
heart  of  the  city,  and  to  occupy  its  stronger  and  more 
commanding  points.  Quitman  proceeded  to  the  great 
plaza  or  square,  planted  guards,  and  hoisted  the  colojrs  of 
the  United  States  on  the  national  palace,  containing  the 
halls  of  Congress  and  executive  apartments  of  federal 
Mexico. 

Soon  after  we  entered,  and  were  in  the  act  of  occupying 
the  city,  a  fire  was  opened  upon  us  from  the  flat  roofs  of 
tke  houses,  from  windows  and  corners  of  streets,  by 


100  BATTLES    OF    MEXICO. 

some  2,000  convicts,  liberated  the  night  before  by  the  fly- 
ing  government — joined  by,  perhaps,  as  many  more  sol 
diers,  who  had  disbanded  themselves  and  thrown  off  their 
uniforms.  This  unlawful  war  lasted  for  more  than  twenty- 
four  hours,  in  spite  of  the  exertions  of  the  municipal  author 
ities,  and  was  not  put  down  till  we  had  lost  many  men,  in 
cluding  several  officers,  killed  or  wounded,  and  had  punish 
ed  the  miscreants. 


BATTLE  OF  HUAMANTLA 

After  tne  brilliant  achievements  of  the  American  forces 
in  and  around  the  city  of  Mexico,  there  was  little  to  do  ex 
cepting  to  clear  the  great  thoroughfares  of  the  multitudes  of 
guerillas  that  infested  them.  Some  sharp  engagements  oc 
curred  between  Mexico  and  Vera  Cruz  before  these  bodies 
of  robbers  could  be  dispersed.  One  of  these  battles  took 
place  at  the  town  of  Huamantla. 

Gen.  Lane  having  arrived  at  Perote,  early  in  October, 
was  there  joined  by  Capt.  Walker  and  his  command ;  both 
advanced  together  on  the  Puebla  road  till  they  reached  the 
town  of  Dreyes,  at  which  place  Capt.  Walker,  by  order  of 
the  commanding  General,  took  up  his  line  of  march  to 
Huamantla,  by  way  of  the  town  of  San  Francisco  and 
Guapastla.  On  his  arrival  at  Huamantla,  a  sanguinary  en 
gagement  took  place  in  the  streets,  between  the  force  of 
Capt.  Walker,  consisting^  250  men,  and  that  of  the  Mexi 
cans  numbering  1,600. 

The  result  of  tin's  contest  was  the  total  expulsion  of  tho 
enemy  from  the  town,  and  its  occupation  by  our  valiant  lit- 


BATTLES    OF    MEXICO.  101 

tie  army,  which  lost  in  the  battle  only  six  men.  But  the  gal 
lant  Walker,  after  performing  prodigies  of  valor,  and  feats 
of  the  most  daring  character,  fell  in  single  combat,  pierced 
by  the  spear  of  an  enraged  father  who  was  goaded  to  actual 
frenzy  by  the  death  of  his  son,  whose  fall  by  the  arm  of 
Captain  Walker  he  had  just  witnessed.  The  father  rushed 
forward,  heedless  of  all  danger,  to  revenge  his  child's  death, 
and  attacking  the  Captain  with  almost  irresistible  violence, 
plunged  his  spear  into  his  body  and  slew  him  almost  in 
stantly.  In  this  engagement  the  Mexicans  lost  200  men 
and  three  pieces  of  artillery.  The  latter  were  thrown  intc 
a  gully  adjoining  the  town,  by  the  victors.  At  the  battle 
of  Huamantla  an  interesting  struggle  occurred  between  the 
Indiana  Volunteers  and  a  detachment  of  the  1st  Pennsylva 
nia  Regiment,  as  to  who  should  first  reach  town  and  plant 
the  AMERICAN  FLAG  on  the  walls.  Lieutenant  Beany  and 
Private  Stebbes,  of  Pennsylvania,  were  successful. 

After  the  achievement  of  their  object,  which  was  the 
dispersion  of  the  enemy,  for  which  they  were  despatched  to 
Huamantla,  the  Americans  evacuated  the  place  and  directed 
their  course  to  Final,  on  the  Puebla  road,  which  they  reach 
ed  without  any  opposition.  There  meeting  with  Gen.  Lane, 
the  combined  American  force  continued  its  march  upon 
Puebla. 

They  found  this  city  in  a  state  of  insurrection,  and  accor 
dingly  entered  it  in  platoons — delivering  at  every  step  a 
constant  and  well-directed  ike  of  musketry,  which  ceased 
not  till  the  enemy  retired,  and  order  had  been  restored  in 
every  quarter. 

Gen.  Rea,  of  whom  we  heard  so  much,  lately,  fled  with 
400  guerillas  towards  Atlixco. 

General  Santa  Anna  was  at  Tehuacan  de  las  Grenadas, 
having  been  deserted  by  all  his  followers,  with  the  excep 
tion  of  200. 


BATTLE  OF  ATLIXCO. 
Gen.  Lane,  with  a  considerable  detachment,  after  a  foiced 


102  BATTLES   OF    MEXICO, 

march  3rom  Perote  ten  leagues  distant,  reached  the  vicini 
ty  of  Atlixco  on  the  evening  of  October  19th ;  and  after 
fighting  his  way  through  the  forces  of  Gen,  Rea,  to  a  sum 
mit  overlooking  the  town,  he  there  posted  his  artillery,  and 
for  three  quarters  of  an  hour  threw  shot  and  shells  into  the 
"  most  thickly  populated  parts,"  the  bright  light  of  the  moon 
enabling  the  practised  gunners  to  fire  with  terrific  effect. 
The  crash  of  the  walls  and  roofs  of  the  houses,  when  struck 
by  our  shot  and  shells,  was  mingled  with  the  roar  of  artil 
lery.  Two  hundred  and  nineteen  Mexicans  were  killed, 
and  three  hundred  wounded,  while  our  own  loss  was  only 
one  killed  and  one  wounded.  It  was  thought  necessary  to 
strike  these  people  with  terror,  because  their  city  had  been 
the  refuge  and  headquarters  of  guerillas,  whence  many  an 
exoedition  had  issued  against  our  troops. 


EXPEDITION  TO  TEHUACAN, 

NARROW  ESCAPE  OP  SANTA  ANNA. 

The  detachment,  consisting  of  350  men  and  officers,  un- 
derthe  command  of  Gen.  Lane,  left  Mexico  on  the  18th of 
January.  Maj.  Polk,  Col.  Hays  and  Capt.  Crittenden,  ac 
companied  it.  Passing  Chalco  and  Rio  Prio,  the  band, 
took  a  circuitous  route  to  Puebla,  where  it  arrived  on  the 
21st. 

Leaving  Puebla  at  dark  the  same  day,  the  company  took 
the  road  to  Vera  Cruz  as  far  as  Amazoque,  where  General 
Lane  took  a  road  entirely  unknown  to  any  one  but  himself 
and  the  guide.  It  was  little  better  than  a  mule  path  over  rocky 
hills,  and  after  a  forty  mile  inarch,  the  troops  arrived  next 
morning  at  the  hacienda  of  Santa  Clara.  They  were  then 
informed  that  their  object  was  to  take  Santa  Anna,  who 
was  then  at  Tehuacan,  distant  forty  miles,  with  150  men. 
In  order  that  the  Mexican  chieftain  might  not  obtain  infor 
mation  of  the  presence  of  our  troops  in  this  section  of  the 
country,  the  General  ordered  every  Mexican  in  the  hacienda* 


BATTLES    OF   MEXICO.  103 

and  every  one  found  on  the  road  during  the  day,  to  be  ar 
rested  and  kept  close  until  they  left  in  the  evening;. 

After  leaving  the  hacienda  at  dark,  they  came  upon  a 
party  of  mounted  Mexicans,  with  a  carnage  whose  occu 
pant  bore  a  passport  from  General  Smith  to  travel  to  Oriza 
ba.  He  was  permitted  to  pass,  with  his  attendants. 

At  dawn  our  army  were  within  half  a  mile  of  Tehuacan. 
The  report  of  a  solitary  gun  of  the  enemy,  gave  hope  that 
the  bird  was  about  to  be  caged.  Our  dragoons  and  riflemen 
dashed  to  the  right  and  left,  closing  every  outlet ;  while  the 
rangers,  with  cocked  revolvers,  galoped  toward  the  Plaza  to 
secure  their  prey :  but  their  amazement  and  mortification 
may  be  imagined,  when  they  learned  that,  two  hours  be 
fore,  the  object  of  their  search  had  fled  to  Oajaca,  with 
seventy-five  men.  With  chagrin,  they  also  learned,  that 
the  Mexican,  whose  coach  was  stopped  the  evening  before, 
had  despatched  a  messenger  across  the  mountain,  to  in 
form  Sajita  Anna,  that  the  American  troops  were  on  the 
road,  with  the  probable  intention  of  making  him  prisoner. 
Had  it  not  been  for  this  treachery,  the  surprise  would  have 
been  complete. 


OCCUPATION  OF  ORIZABA. 

Leaving  Tehuacan,  on  the  23d,  the  troops,  after  a  rough 
march  of  several  miles,  came  down,  Feb.  26,  1848,  into  the 
valley  of  Orizaba.  On  arriving  at  the  gates  of  the  city,  the 
authorities  delivered  up  the  keys  ;  and  on  entering,  they  dis 
covered  a  white  flag,  at  the  window  of  every  house,  and 
found  the  entire  population  .assembled  to  witness  their  en- 
fey,  with  apparent  satisfaction. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  neighboring  city  of  Cordova,  sent 
a  deputation  requesting  its  occupation  by  the  American 

Nothing  of  importance  occurred  afterwards,  until  Feb.  2d, 
1848,  when  the  Treaty  of  Peace  was  signed  by  the  Amer 
ican  and  Mexican  governniena 


m  * 


